Tech Notes
Wine Details
Jeb Dunnuck
James Suckling
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Wine and Spirits
By Contino
Gran Reserva 2014
History
Vinedos del Contino was born in 1973, establishing the "chateau" concept in the Rioja region. Its wines are made exclusively from the vines planted on its 62 hectares. The estate's vineyards embrace its ancestral home within a meander in the River Ebro, located in Laserna, near the village of Laguardia in the Rioja Alavesa winemaking region.
Wine Details
Type of Wine: Gran Reserva
Region: Rioja Alavesa
Vintage: 2014
DOCa Vintage Rating: Good
Contino Vintage Rating: Excellent
Grape Varieties: 70% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 10% Mazuelo, 5% Ganarcha
Bottle Type: Bordelaise
Bottling Date: July 2017
Winemaking
The grapes were harvested manually in 15 kg boxes from our estate parcels in Finca San Rafael. The grapes were picked at perfect ripeness, then destemmed and fermented at a controlled temperature between 28 and 20 degrees in untreated concrete vats. Total maceration time was 14 to 20 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in the same concrete vats, after which the wine was racked to 30% used American and 70% used French oak barrels. After three years in barrel, the wine was bottled and aged for another two years in our underground cellars.
Vintage / Harvest Description
2014 was a year with scarce rainfall throughout the vegetative cycle, but well distributed in the critical phases of the growing season. Total rainfall of 368 lt/m2, within the average of the last four years. Mild preceding autumn and winter. Frosty, not severe temperatures in January and February. Warm spring and summer. Early budding, starting on March 20th, flowering on May 29th, the beginning of fruit set on June 3rd and July 17th. The beginning of veraison in the earliest and least productive plots of Tempranillo, San Gregorio Grande. A healthy harvest started on September 18th and finished right at the beginning of the autumn rains on October 14th.
Tasting Notes
Contino Gran Reserva 2014 is a serious wine with complex hints of perfectly ripe black fruits and flowers. The palate is dense and elegant, with soft, gently structured tannins, perfect acidity, and a long finish.
Analytical Data
Total Acidity: 6.40 g/l
pH: 3.50
Volatile Acidity: 0.65
Total Polyphenols Index: 76.4
Filtering Process: Suitable for vegans
[Information provided by DHI Selections]
Unit Size | 750.00 ML |
Varietal | Red Blend
|
Vintage | 2014 |
Grape | Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo, Garnacha |
Country | Spain |
Region | Rioja
|
Alcohol Percentage | 14.00% |
2014 Contino Gran Reserva
Producer: Contino
Location: Spain, Rioja
Color: Red
Rating: 96
Tasting Date: 12/9/2020
Maturity: 2020 - 2035
Reviewed By: Jeb Dunnuck
Source: Importer Highlight: Arano
Gorgeous notes of red plums, currants, vanilla spice, and candied flowers all emerge from the 2014 Gran Reserva. With full-bodied richness, a rounded, layered texture, plenty of mid-palate depth, and present yet ripe tannins, this beauty does everything right and can be drunk with incredible pleasure any time over the coming 10-15 years. This cuvée is based on 70% Tempranillo and the rest Graciano, Mazuelo, and Garnacha, all fermented and aged in new French and American oak.
CONTINO RIOJA GRAN RESERVA 2014
Friday, July 26, 2019
Country: Spain
Region: La Rioja
Vintage: 2014
Score: 94
A very balanced reserva with ultra fine tannins that are melted into the wine. Blueberry and light citrus undertones. Medium to full body, soft and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Shows light tar and spice in the aftertaste. Drink now.
2014 Contino Gran Reserva
Producer: Contino
From: Spain, Rioja
Color: Red
Type: Table
Sweetness: Dry
Variety: Proprietary Blend
Rating: 93
Reviewed by: Luis Gutierrez
Issue Date: 30th Oct 2020
Source: Issue 251 End of October 2020, The Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2022-2032
The more classical 2014 Gran Reserva was produced with a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Garnacha from a super selection of the grapes used for the Reserva. It fermented destemmed in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in 225-liter oak barrels, 70% of them French, the rest American [...] This shows abundant notes of spices, toast and smoke, dark chocolate and espresso coffee and ripe berries. It's still showing the impact of the elevage, but it will probably absorb it with time in bottle. The palate is powerful and reveals abundant tannins. It was bottled in July 2017.
CONTINO Rioja Gran Reserva 2014
Score: 91
Country: Spain
Region: Spain
Issue: Sep 30, 2020
This red has a generous, warm character. Cherry and red plum flavors show a sweet preserved fruit accent, while vanilla, spicy and candied orange peel notes add interest. Well-integrated tannins and juicy acidity support the plush texture. Drink now through 2032. — TM
Contino 2014 Rioja Gran Reserva
Rating: 90
This wine’s potent extract gains freshness with air. The fruit turns plummy while the dusty tannins take on the blackness of eggplant skin and the umami richness of mushrooms. Give it a year or two in the cellar to meld, then decant for short ribs. (12/20)
Arano USA, Riverside, CT