Bodegas y Viñedos del Contino Rioja Contino Gran Reserva

Really funky.

Mørk med minmal brun tunge, tett konsentrert med tobakkovertoner. Rik smak med god lengde og vil tåle lenger lagring. Perfekt til baskisk chuleton.

This followed the Peciña brothers' GR and immediately I noticed fuller richer fruit and much less traces of oak ageing though Contino is considered "modern" in its élevage approach and I found them quite prominent in a bottle 4 years ago. The palate was quite full, more so than often with Rioja, and the fruit more dense but this is no way interfered with harmony because the wines was so seamless with velvety and caressing texture, delicious but quite discreet …

The wine is clear and bright with a medium garnet colour. The nose is clean and developing, showing medium intensity aromas of fruit development (cooked plums, cooked strawberries), pungent spices (hints of white pepper), bottle ageing (tobacco, almonds, hints of canned peas) and oak (coconut, cedar, vanilla). The wine is dry with a medium acidity. It has medium fine-grained tannins and a medium(+) alcohol. It has a medium body and pronounced intensity flavours of red fruit (red plums, acid strawberries), …

Soft, fruit forward. Orange peel, high toned fruit. Lush, silky. This is on the way down, I'd drink it up. B/B-

Dinner at R&Y : Blind. Fullest colour of the three. More fruit on the nose and a slightly fuller, more velvety texture but still seems to be reasonably trad Rioja. Didn't evolve in the glass and develop quite so markedly as the other two. A nice blend of generous fruit with more traditionally acidity-led structure. positive finish and good length. Bare ****

Plenty of Rioja typicity here but with a hint of more modern treatment. Newer oak? This wasn't as enjoyable as a previous bottle tasted at a Contino offline. I think this really needs more time. I feel this will improve and that it was stuck in no man's land last night. Good acidity but a touch of alcohol as well. Didn't develop well and was the least traditional of the three wines (CVNE Imperial 89 and Torre Muga 94 being …

Medium garnet with thinning edges. Aromatics of dried cherries, saddle leather and hints of metallic high tones. Flavors of the same minus the metallic overtones. This wine has finally enetered a wonderful drinking stage of it's life, but don't wait too long and miss the fruit! What's wit the Pope on the label, Jordan? EG WineArchitect

Interesting nose upon opening of leather, spice and plummy fruit. The plate was a little disjointed I felt, the flavours hadn't fully integrated, and there were bits hanging out - some bitter oak notes, and slightly unbalanced acidity. I also thought that it was a bit one-dimensional, not especially complex. I have 2 more bottles which I'm going to keep for a while to see if anything interesting happens to them, as for me this wine is disappointing now.

Bright semi-transparant ruby color. Opened cold from cellar. Stinky, earthy, leathery, cherry on the nose. The flavors are are bit disjointed in the mouth and there is a touch of sourness on the finish. More notes as it warms up! EG

Contino Dinner with Jesús Madrazo (The Ledbury) : On the nose this is not unlike the ‘74 Reserva but not as delicate (yet?). Secondary development, a hint of caramel but mainly a nice leathery aroma with the fruit still present in the background. Nicely evolved. Incredibly smooth on the palate. Very much in balance and a gorgeous drink. I thought this was excellent. Jesús Madrazo bottles these Gran Reservas only in very good years and only in magnums. The intention …

Not a blockbuster, but a good classic Tepranillo with enough blend to make it multi-dimentional. Leathery in the mouth with dark, rich plumbs.

A nice, drinkable Rioja, but not much in the way of complexity or class. It's not showing much of its age yet, and maybe will evolve into a more subtle wine in time, but right now it's tasty, solid, and shows typicity, but not great in any way.

Wine Education Service - Fine Old Rioja (Imperial College) : Initially oaky aromas, a bit meaty, tomato and mint. Juicy fruity, good acidity, light tannins, complex, smooth, good length, will get even smoother and will keep for ten years.

Smooth, deep, full purple fruit. Leather, tobacco. Long finish. Smooth and silky. Bright with a deep dark center. Not a lot of structure. B/B+