Contino
C.V.N.E.’s pioneering 62ha estate on the bank of the Ebro with foundations dating from the 16th century. The name Contino refers to the royal guard of 100 soldiers who continually – ‘de contino’ – guarded the King. In 1973, Contino, inspired by the concept of the ‘Bordeaux Château’, became the first single estate Rioja producer. According to legend, Saint Gregory, the patron saint of vineyards, passed through the lands of this same Rioja property. This gave rise to the use of his figure in the logo of the winery and to the use of his name for some of the plots now planted with vines.
The 62ha of vineyards in Laserna are protected by the same hill, Cerro de la Mesa, that is home to their Viña Real winery. Here, a particular microclimate gives a special character to Contino wines. The entire estate is planted with bush vines and the south-facing vineyards include some stocks that are more than 60-years-old.
At Contino, tradition and innovation live together in perfect harmony. The wines are crafted in a modern vinification cellar, with a selection table and individual limited capacity fermentation tanks. The wines are aged in our 16th century cellars, which afford optimum conditions of temperature and humidity.
They only produce a small selection of wines at Contino, including the prized Graciano and Viña del Olivo which is regarded as one of the best wines of modern Spain. Winemaker Jorge Navascués strives to be at the forefront of Rioja wine making whilst preserving established traditions.