We aim to have all wines be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock and you note you would like that particular vintage, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
James Suckling –
About This Wine
The grapes used to make Contino Reserva come from vineyards of the farm Finca San Rafael, located in the municipality of Laguardia, in La Rioja Alavesa.
The soils are comprised of sandy loam and clay, with an abundant presence of stones. The climate of the area stands out for being dry and hot in summer and cold in winter.
The harvest of the grapes for Reserve Contino is done manually, and small boxes are used to transport the bunches to the winery. This way they prevent the grapes form breaking prematurely and loosing their qualities. At the winery, the grapes are selected on a selection conveyor. Then, they are fermented in 12,000-litre stainless steel deposits at a controlled temperature of 28º to 30ºC.
After the fermentation, they go through maceration for 15 to 20 days.
Lastly, Contino Reserva rests in French oak barrels -60%- and American oak barrels -40%- for 24 months. Ageing is completed with a refinement of twelve more months in the bottle.
Type | Red Wine |
---|---|
Varietal(s) | Tempranillo |
Country | Spain |
Region | Rioja |
Brand | Contino |
Vintage | 2016 |
Wines of Spain
With 2.9 million acres of land planted in wine grapes, Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation and second largest producer in the world. Many styles of wine are produced in the country most of which are based on native grape varietals.
The two most famous regions are Rioja and Ribera del Duero for their Tempranillo production. Rioja Tempranillo (the classic) will be lighter and fresher with red fruit flavours as compared to those from Ribera del Duero that are often deep purple, higher in alcohol with more tannins and intense black fruit character. Rioja is also known for producing Garnacha (Grenache), as well as rich, nutty whites from the indigenous Viura varietal.
In the Catalonia region, Spain is recognized for making a sparkling wine in the traditional method but using native grape varieties. This is called Cava. Priorat, a subregion within Catalonia specializes in making still red blends of Garnacha, Carignan and often Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon in a bold and full-bodied style. Together with Rioja, wines from Priorat have achieved DOCa/DOQ status signifying their quality.
Sherry is Spain’s famous fortified wine which can either be completely dry, lusciously sweet or somewhere in between. This is made in the southern region of Jerez.
Other notable Spanish wine styles include: Monastrell (AKA. Mataro/Mourvèdre), produced in the Jumilla region and refreshing white Albariño and Verdejo from north western Galacia.