Contino Vina del Olivo
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2035
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rack of lamb, grilled prime ribeye steak, and aged Manchego cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Viñedos del Contino, established in 1973 by CVNE, revolutionized Rioja by introducing the single-estate château concept to the region. The crown jewel of this estate is the Viña del Olivo, named after an ancient, majestic olive tree estimated to be over 700 years old that stands sentinel in the heart of the vineyard. This wine is a masterful blend dominated by Tempranillo with a significant portion of Graciano, sourced from clay-limestone alluvial soils along a bend in the Ebro River in Rioja Alavesa. Fermented in large oak vats and aged in a selection of French, American, and Hungarian oak barrels, it offers a perfect marriage of modern concentration and traditional Rioja elegance, characterized by dark fruit, mineral undertones, and refined spice.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1879 in Haro's iconic Barrio de la Estación by brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa, Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España (CVNE) stands as an architectural and viticultural pillar of DOCa Rioja. Still stewarded by fifth-generation descendants under CEO Víctor Urrutia, the historic house commands premier vineyard parcels across Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, rooted primarily in calcareous clay and alluvial gravel under an Atlantic-moderated continental climate. CVNE has historically driven technical modernizations, incorporating gravity-flow winemaking, Eiffel-engineered cellars, and early concrete fermentation vats alongside classical oak maturation. Viticulture emphasizes environmental stewardship, evidenced by active membership in International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA). The house crafts legendary expressions, from the flagship Imperial Gran Reserva and the singular Real de Asúa to pioneering whites such as Viña Real Blanco, Monopole Clásico, and the scarce Corona Gran Reserva, reflecting balance, age-worthiness, and traditional Spanish winemaking precision.
🍇 Grapes
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuelo