Robert Parker, Jr.-The Wine Advocate: Rated as An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. "The 2004 Reserva is also 90% Tempranillo and the balance, Graciano, Garnacha, and Mazuelo aged for up to 2 years in French and American oak. Deep crimson-colored, it delivers a more complex perfume of smoke, mineral, game, underbrush, and black cherry. This terroir-driven offering is medium-bodied, mouth-filling, and quite rich while maintaining a sense of elegance. This lengthy effort will evolve for another 4-6 years and be at its best from 2014 to 2024 if not longer.
Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana (C.V.N.E.) is known colloquially to most Spanish wine drinkers as Cune. The company was founded in 1879 by the Real de Asua brothers and still remains in control of their direct descendants. In the 1920s ownership started Vina Real and in 2004 a new winery was built in Laguardia. In 1973 Contino was created to further the concept of the single estate winery and has since been one of the principal leaders in the resurrection of the nearly extinct Graciano grape. The Contino wines are made exclusively from the estate’s 253 acres located in Laserna near the town of Laguardia. The Reserva bottling is the mainstay of the Contino lineup produced from vines ranging in age from 25 to 60 years. The Contino Vina Del Olivo is the product of a dry farmed single vineyard of the same name planted in 1980. The blend is 90% Tempranillo with the balance Graciano and Carinena aged in new oak for 18 months. The Imperial label is affixed at C.V.N.E. only in the top vintages." Jun 2010

Winery:  "Deep Ruby and cherry red, with the lightest hint of a terracotta edge. Good intensity on the nose, with ripe autumn fruits, warm spices and elegant toasty oak. The palate is rich, warming and velvet, with good acidity and noble tannin. The vanilla from the oak is beautifully married with the raspberry fruit of the Tempranillo producing a fine, rich, complex palate and length of finish. The wine is balanced now, but has potential to improve."

Wired For Wine:  ¿Qué quieres winelovers? The answer is most definitely this Cune Vina Real Rioja Reserva, especially if you're in the mood for a rich, well-balanced red from Spain. Lose yourselves in this raspberry well of Tempranillo while you marvel at the beautifully balanced oak, tannins and acidity. Pour your first delicious glass and serve it with your favorite tapas. The clean acidity of this Rioja Reserva will be perfect with Croquetas Cremosas, creamy croquettes with mushrooms, salt cod and roast pork. ¡Increíble! The lovely depth and rich fruit allow it to pair well with most meats, especially when roasted, including game and game birds. We love this Cune with seared lamb chops which have been marinated in lemon and cumin, with salsa verde on the side. A more classic route would be to enjoy it with a steaming pan of paella made with chorizo, chicken, rabbit and pork. After the main event has wound down, we can think of no better ending than another glass or two and a hard, nutty, Spanish Manchego cheese to complement this Spanis red's smokey, toasty oak. ¡Olé baby!

Bottle:  750ml, cork
Varietal: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano and Mazuelo
Alcohol:  13.5%
Ageing:    American and French oak casks for up to 2 years
Region:   Rioja Alavesa, Spain