Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja 2019

“I sense that there is a change in direction in the 2019 Viña del Olivo in search of freshness and elegance form the limestone-rich soils. In a warm year like 2019, the wine was produced with the blend of 67% Tempranillo, 23% Graciano and 10% Mazuelo; it’s higher in Mazuelo, which gives it freshness and shows in the wine, which is “only” 13.71% alcohol, harvested early like the majority of 2019s and keeping a pH of 5.56. The wine is quite flattering and has contained ripeness, good freshness and balance but ultimately lacks the complexity and depth of the 2020 that I tasted next to it. It matured in barrel for 12 months and in oak vat for a further four months. 9,773 bottles and 500 magnums were filled in June 2021. Drink: 2022-2032. 94 points

The challenge at Contino is to control the power of the very warm place and achieve freshness in the wines. They started some experimental microvinifications in 2021 to find the way. The original wines from the 1970s, produced with part of the winery, have aged very well, and the challenge is to overcome the exuberant style of more recent years. This time there is a new red produced with 100% Mazuelo (Cariñena) grapes that were always vinified separately.”

Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (07/22)