Contino Gran Reserva 2012

This is the Gran Reserva offering from the Contino brand of the CVNE Winery. The Contino vineyards are based in Altavesa at a lower level than their other premium range, Imperial, and 2012 was a wetter year. According to the helpful man at CVNE this means warmer weather so less acidity and tannins. More fruit and smoother.

The best grapes for that year would be set aside for the Gran Reserva wine. They are fermented in cement eggs and then given a second malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels. Then the wine is matured for 3 years in barrels of mixed American and French oak and a final 2 year maturation in the bottle.

This wine has a pronounced scent of lovely fresh berries mature and sweet, plus some vegetal hints. The wood is there but it doesn’t dominate.

It has great body and fills the mouth nicely. Dry with good balance of tannins and acidity. It doesn’t overpower my tastebuds like many mature red wines do. It is in fact quite smooth but warming in the mouth. The flavour is of fruity berries, a bit like a fruit of the forest yoghurt. The flavour lingers nicely after swallowing.

I had another sip of the Contino Reserva after tryingthis wine and it now felt lacking in some way. More watery.

I wasn’t expecting to like the Gran Reservas as I thought they would be too heavy for me, but I really enjoyed this one.