2011 Contino Graciano Rioja

This is my favorite Contino wine. It is the benchmark Graciano from Rioja, and a wine that has inspired so many others to try their hand at making a wine from this finicky grape. Typically the vivid, high-toned blue and purple fruits which Graciano brings to the finished wine play an important role in the aromatic and flavor profile of Contino's wines. To savor this Graciano on its own, though, is a wine drinking experience not to be missed, particularly for Rioja aficionados. A classic, Contino Graciano typically drinks well young and benefits nicely from bottle age. In 1973, Contino was founded and became the first of the new wave of single-vineyard Rioja estates. Today, winemaker Jes̼s Madrazo makes some of Rioja's finest wines, polished and comparably modern, but with a sense of balance and restraint that gives them amazing elegance and great longevity. Simply put, this is modern Rioja executed perfectly. (Joe Manekin, K&L Spanish wine buyer)