2017 | Vinedos del Contino | Graciano

Complex nose with violet hints, floral aromas combined with wild blueberries and an elegant mineral finish. Long and fleshy wine in the mouth, standing out for silkiness and tannins. An elegant and balanced wine.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: I caught the varietal 2017 Graciano just before being bottled. The grapes were picked on the 8th of September, which is quite early, and the finished wine has 13.73% alcohol and a pH of 3.33 with 6.37 grams of acidity (tartaric). The grapes come from a 3.7-hectare plot planted in 1979 and 1989. As they want to preserve the varietal character, they did a soft vinification in small oak vats, but it was aged in new oak barrels, mostly French oak and some 28% American oak. The wine matured for 14 months and then was transferred to concrete tanks, where it matured for a further four to five months to avoid too much oak. It feels very tender, a little creamy and very young, in need of a bit of time in bottle; it should be kept in bottle for a while before it's released. The nose might be difficult to read, but the palate is explosive and very varietal, vibrant, lively and integrated, like biting into a ripe bunch of Graciano grapes. It should make old bones. I look forward to tasting this in bottle next time.

• James Suckling: Lots of blueberries and slate with crushed stone and concrete. Full body. Linear and refined with super fine tannins. Bright acidity and graphite undertones. Driven and agile. Dances on the palate. Best now.

Producer Information

Viñedos del Contino is a wine estate in Rioja Alavesa known for its ageworthy red wines based on Tempranillo, and often featuring Graciano. It was founded in 1973 as a partnership between the owners of Finca San Rafael in Alavesa, and a group of directors from CVNE. Since the end of 2013 the CVNE group has owned 95 percent of the company. Along with Remelluri, Contino is regarded as a pioneer of single-vineyard wines and the château concept in the region. This is in contrast to the traditional system of wineries being supplied by network of small growers. There are 62 hectares (153 acres) under vine in Laguardia, on alluvial pebble soils within a bend in the Ebro river, protected by the Cerro de la Mesa (Table Hill). Individual plots are cultivated seprately; fruit is all harvested by hand. The estate combines a modern winery with a 16th-Century cellar for aging wines in optimum temperatures and humidity levels. The former manor house upon which the estate was founded dates back to this time; a Contino was an officer in charge of a corps of guards who protected the royal family.

DISCLAIMER** This is a single item listing unless otherwise noted in the description. Retailer advises either in stock or in route to their location. Usually ships within one to four business days. Longer processing times may occur especially around holiday(s). Some items may become backordered or delayed without notice due to demand & will ship out upon arrival. Overseas 700ml products typically have longer processing/transit times. You can always verify product availability by calling 1-888-548-0333. Please refer to our cancellations & returns agreement or reach out to our support team at help@caskcartel.com for any additional questions.

Our dedicated team specializes in creating personalized shopping experiences. If you’re looking for a specific item or collection that isn’t appearing on our marketplace, please reach out to us at concierge@caskcartel.com or fill out the product inquiry form and one of our dedicated team members will be in touch.  Whether it’s a product you’ve experienced while traveling or a rare, hard to find item you’ve been searching for, we have an established global network of retailers with the ability to locate and source the rarest and hardest to find products.