One of the finest estates in Rioja and all of Spain, Contino has established a cult following for its Vina del Olivo, a single vineyard expression famous for its elegance and longevity, as well as its sense of place. Today we are delighted to offer the latest vintage of this iconic Rioja, Contino Vina del Olivo 2018.
Marked by unpredictable weather conditions, such as storms, strong winds and hail, 2018 was a challenging vintage in Rioja, however those who were especially diligent in the vineyards managed to maintain the health of the grapes. The region’s best reds are particularly refined, with a slightly lower alcohol level compared to the previous vintages, as well as boasting intense and vivid colours and a harmonious palate. The 2018 Contino Vina del Olivo is a wine of both strength and elegance, described by Tim Atkin as “perfumed, herbal, succulent and rich, with a combination of intensity and underlying balance, appealingly framed by oak.” Atkin has awarded the wine with 95 points, emphasising its great ageing potential and Luis Gutierrez of The Wine Advocate agrees that it will only become better with years in bottle: “It’s marked by the toasted barrels and has all the baby fat it needs to be rendered invisible with time in bottle. It has very good freshness and round and sophisticated tannins with purity of fruit and finesse.” Available today at the release price of only £46 per bottle In Bond this is outstanding value for a world-class single vineyard wine. Please note that despite the variety of available formats, the quantities are very limited and we strongly recommend securing your parcel with no hesitation.
Located in Rioja Alavesa, north of the river Ebro, Contino traces its history all the way back to the 16th century. The “Contino” was the officer in charge of a guard corps of a hundred soldiers who protected the royal family “de contino” (continuously) from the times of the Catholic Monarchs onwards. The estate as we know it today was established in 1973 and became the first “chateau” in Rioja, making wines purely from its own fruit grown on 62 hectares surrounding the winery. The vineyards here are protected by the hill called Cerro de la Mesa, which gives this land a characteristic orientation and mesoclimate. The grapes are harvested by hand and transported along a short road to the outbuildings so as to avoid damaging their qualities. Vinification takes place in a modern winery and for ageing, the wines are transferred to a 16th century cellar which has the perfect temperature and humidity. Today Contino is part of Bodegas C.V.N.E, which stands for Compagna Vinicola del Norte de Espana, one of the most renowned, revered and accomplished bodegas in Spain. In August 2017 Jorge Navascués was appointed as Contino’s head winemaker, taking over the reins from Jesus Madrazo. Jorge brings a wealth of experience with over 20 years of winemaking in various projects around Spain. 2018 is the first vintage that Jorge and his team have been in charge of and the resulting wines are fabulous, continuing the great level of quality the estate is famous for.