Winemaker Notes
The Contino white wine is produced from Viura and Garnacha Blanca grapes. The Garnacha Blanca grape is harvested from the San Gregorio Encina estate, planted in 1980 on calcareous clay soil. The Viura comes from different areas of Contino, including the alluvial soils of the old Lentisco estate, the stony soils of the San Gregorio La Tabla, and the Santa María estate. All the vineyards are between 35 and 40 years old.
Blend: 80% Viura, 20% Garnacha Blanca
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A complex yet composed white with a mineral incisiveness that jumps out from the creamy white fruit, melon and squeezed lemons. Really bright and textured, with good volume and subtlety. Long, intense and flavorful.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Blanco has been changed to 2022 San Gregorio Blanco, a return to the traditional whites but without excess oak, maturing it in 500-liter barrels. It's a blend of 80% Viura from San Gregorio and La Table and 20% Garnacha Blanca from La Encina, all between 35 and 40 years of age. The destemmed grapes were put in stainless steel for a few hours, then pressed, and the juice fermented for 20 days. It matured in concrete (30%) and 500-liter barrels of different ages for 12 months. It's the evolution of the white they started in 2006, and it feels like they have found the way this year, with character and freshness, not heavy. It comes in at 13.35% alcohol, with a pH of 3.28 and 6.22 grams of acidity. It has floral notes and hints of pollen and fennel, with the balance between ripeness and freshness and is tasty and almost salty. To me, this is their finest white to date, despite the adverse conditions of the year.
-
Decanter
There's an intense, luscious quality to the yellow plum, apple and marmalade. This richness is balanced by focus and poise. The weighty, broody presence on the mid-palate is offset by a vibrant edge of orange zest and white pepper.
Contino, the first Rioja château 1973, impelled by CVNE and the owners of the 62-hectare property located in the Rioja Alavesa. The history of the property dates from the 16th century, and is reflected in its name. 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. According to the tradition, Saint Gregory, the patron saint of vineyards, passed through the lands of this same Rioja property, giving rise to the use of his figure in the logo of this winery, and to the use of his name for some of the plots now planted with vines. The wine produced on this property, fruity and elegant, is heir to the best Rioja tradition. It is made with an individualised grape harvesting system in which only grapes from the same vineyards that surround the old manor house are used. Their origin in the various plots is noted. The perfect combination of soils, Atlantic-Mediterranean climate and refined technique have made Contino, more than 30 years after the first vintage, a reference product both in and outside Spain. The 62 hectares of Laserna vineyards in Laguardia are protected by the hill called the Cerro de la Mesa, which gives this land a characteristic orientation and mesoclimate. The hand-cut grapes are transported along a short road to the outbuildings so as to avoid damaging their qualities.
Commonly found as a single varietal white or blended with Malavasia and Grenache Blanc, Viura is a vital, leading white grape of Rioja. It also thrives in the lower elevations of the Penedes, where it takes the name Macabeo and adds aromatic and fruity notes to the traditional Cava blend with Parellada and Xarel-lo. Somm Secret—Called Macabeu in France, this versatile grape is prevalent in Roussillon where it makes still, sparkling, dry and sweet wines.
Highly regarded for distinctive and age-worthy red wines, Rioja is Spain’s most celebrated wine region. Made up of three different sub-regions of varying elevation: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental. Wines are typically a blend of fruit from all three, although specific sub-region (zonas), village (municipios) and vineyard (viñedo singular) wines can now be labeled. Rioja Alta, at the highest elevation, is considered to be the source of the brightest, most elegant fruit, while grapes from the warmer and drier Rioja Oriental produce wines with deep color and higher alcohol, which can add great body and richness to a blend.
Fresh and fruity Rioja wines labeled, Joven, (meaning young) see minimal aging before release, but more serious Rioja wines undergo multiple years in oak. Crianza and Reserva styles are aged for one year in oak, and Gran Reserva at least two, but in practice this maturation period is often quite a bit longer—up to about fifteen years.
Tempranillo provides the backbone of Rioja red wines, adding complex notes of red and black fruit, leather, toast and tobacco, while Garnacha supplies body. In smaller percentages, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) often serve as “seasoning” with additional flavors and aromas. These same varieties are responsible for flavorful dry rosés.
White wines, typically balancing freshness with complexity, are made mostly from crisp, fresh Viura. Some whites are blends of Viura with aromatic Malvasia, and then barrel fermented and aged to make a more ample, richer style of white.