Contino
Overview
Viñedos del Contino is one of Rioja’s great single-estate producers, located in Rioja Alavesa (the Basque-administered section of Rioja). Unlike most Rioja bodegas, Contino is a genuine single-estate wine produced from one contiguous vineyard on the banks of the Ebro river. A joint venture historically with CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España), Contino is one of the pioneering single-vineyard Riojas. Best known for its top-of-range “Viña del Olivo” bottling — a single-vineyard wine named for the thousand-year-old olive tree at the center of the vineyard. VFTC #117 rates the 2021 Viña del Olivo at 96 points and the 2017 Gran Reserva at 95 points.
Appellations
- Rioja — Rioja Alavesa; single contiguous estate; chalky soils
Key Wines
- Rioja “Viña del Olivo” — named for the ancient olive tree at the estate center; 60-year-old vines; 80% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo; 70% new French oak + 10% American; native yeast; 96 points (2021); “absolutely brilliant bottle of young Rioja”; 2035–2085
- Rioja Gran Reserva — 95 points (2017); “one of the finest and most elegant vintages of Contino Gran Reserva”; fine-grained tannins; complex soil signature; 2032–2085
- Rioja Garnacha — 93+ points (2020); “impressively light on its feet for Garnacha”; 2035–2080
Style Notes
Classic Rioja Alavesa elegance — chalky soil signature, refined Rioja spice tones, fine-grained tannins. The Viña del Olivo is the flagship single-vineyard selection, requiring extended cellaring (10–15 years minimum). The Gran Reserva is one of the most consistently outstanding traditional Rioja bottlings. Contino’s Graciano single-variety bottling is also produced — described as “clearly the finest produced in all of Spain today” (VFTC #117, 93+ points for 2021).
Gilman Scores (VFTC #117, May-June 2025)
| Wine | Vintage | Score | Drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rioja “Viña del Olivo” | 2021 | 96 | 2035–2085 |
| Rioja Gran Reserva | 2017 | 95 | 2032–2085 |
| Rioja Garnacha | 2020 | 93+ | 2035–2080 |
| Rioja Graciano | 2021 | 93+ | 2033–2075+ |
Tasting Notes from VFTC #110
| Wine | Vintage | Score | Drink Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rioja “Viña del Olivo” | 2020 | 95+ | 2034–2085 |
My Tastings
Sources
sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC March-April 2024 #110.txt— Spain/Portugal section; Rioja Tinto subsectionsources/articles/VFTC/VFTC May-June 2025 #117.txt— Spain/Portugal section (pages 47–88)