Hidden away behind the village of Laserna, in Rioja Alavesa, the Contino bodega enjoys some spectacular views. Below lie vineyards, medieval rooftops, and the torturous bends of the River Ebro; the horizon is cut by a jagged line of sierra. With the local climate balanced - sometimes disrupted - by countervailing tendencies (southern Rioja Alavesa is where Atlantic and Mediterranean weather systems typically face off), this has always been a fine place to make wine. Winemaker Jorge Madrazo admits that in hot years it can be a challenge to maintain freshness, but the results of recent vintages show they are succeeding spectacularly.
There was wine being made here in the Middle Ages - the cellar caves under the bodega are among the oldest in Rioja. The modern era started in 1973, when the grand old bodega CVNE acquired Contino. In no way did CVNE throw its weight around; Contino is run autonomously, and was given the freedom to develop on an estate model, using only fruit from their own vineyards. This was a novelty in a region built on growers, co-operatives and grape sourcing. At Contino they like to raise their Rioja in a mixture of French and American oak barrels, which - as they see it - brings more complexity to the wine. Contino are undoubtably making some of the best wines in the region. (NT 29/09/21)