1980 Bodegas y Viñedos del Contino Rioja Contino Reserva

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 92.2 points

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  2/9/2024 - SimonG wrote: 95 Points

  Semi Blind. bright mid garnet. Classic mature Rioja nose. Glorious. Everything it should be. Suspect it’s Contino, and realistically early 80s, though it smells and looks a decade older. Truly blind I’d say early 70s Vina Real, but I think it’s Contino. Even in an unfashionable vintage this is everything that young Rioja hopes it grows up to be. Fragrant. Elegant, nuanced, ethereal without being inconsequential. Just lovely. In the cold light of day it’s probably only ****1/2, but in the glass and on the night, *****. So much better than a bottle a decade or so ago that had too much VA for comfort.

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  6/19/2017 - StasMedvedev.lv Likes this wine: 90 Points

  Contino vs Riscal old vintages wine tasting.
  
  Opens up with autumn wet leaves and mud aromas. Soaked lingberry on the palate that later develops in somewhat jammy. More acidity compared to other vintages.
  Interesting wine with distinguished style of Contino. Weaker compared to other wines of the tasting.
  Wine is aged in both French and American oak for minimum of 3 years. Blend: 85% Tempranillo, 10% Cane, 4% Graciano, 1% Garnacha. It was the last year when it was bottled in Burgundy shape bottle.

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  6/19/2017 - AV2012 wrote: 92 Points

  Riscal vs Contino: Wet leaves on the nose - a bit funky. There's vanilla and sweet notes as well. Acidity has mellowed. Gains nice fatness with air and develops aromas of mango and pineaple. Very lovely.

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  2/1/2015 - AV2012 wrote: 93 Points

  Contino mini vertical: Today I liked it more than '81 and '82. Softer body, leaner and more silky, spicy-herbal-pickle notes, smoked meats. This had a pleasant food feeling to it, like you are eating, not drinking a wine. There were some stewed fruits and coffee. With time it developped a note of smoked pickle. Excellent.

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  9/9/2014 - Los 12 Glotones Likes this wine: 95 Points

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  Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/contino-1980-reserva.html
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  De color rubí claro de capa media, claro, muy limpio. Reflejos rojizos y anaranjados. Borde amplio, atejado.
  
  Se presenta con mucha expresividad, del todo abierto. Aromas de gran elegancia y finura. Intenso, fragante, inundándonos con apuntes de flores marchitas, bombón en licor, caramelo de toffee y un fuerte componente ahumado de maderas y especias. Resultón, pirotécnico, ligeramente licoroso al ir ganando en fruta negra y un creciente protagonismo de los descriptores de cuadra, animal, duelas envinadas.
  
  En boca es fino y de enorme frescor, ágil, muy puro, con unos taninos tan elegantes y sedosos que cuesta explicarlo. Estilizado pero sin renunciar a ese estilo clásico de Rioja, tan avainillado como cremoso. Excelente acidez, amargosos, notas tostadas, cedro. Una gozada!!! Un Contino muy de primera época, aún embotellado en botella borgoñona y con todo lo que podemos esperar de esta época dorada de la bodega. Quizás una de las añadas menos atendidas y más injustamente valoradas. Está algún escalón por debajo de las míticas 1981-1982 pero no por ello hay que considerarlo como un vino menor. Nos ha recordado en casi todo al poderoso Contino de 1978 pero más integrado y puro.
  
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  -E-L-S - 1-2 - G-O-L-A-F-R-E-S - W-I-N-E - T-A-S-T-I-N-G - G-R-O-U-P - - - - - - -
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  85% tempranillo, 10% mazuelo, 4% graciano, 1% garnacha - 13.4% vol.
  Elaborado únicamente con uva de la propia finca de 52 hectáreas, el 60% de viñedo viejo y el 40% de viñedo más joven. Fermentación en depósitos de acero inoxidable. Permanece durante 6 meses en depósitos de hormigón en los que finaliza la fermntación maloláctica y descansa antes de ser trasegado. Criado durante 24 meses en barricas de segundo año de roble francés y americano al 50% de 225 litros. Embotellado en 1983. Producción limitada a 79.697 botellas de 75 cl. Un mínimo de 36 meses de guarda en botellero antes de ser comercializado, en 1986. Primera cosecha en ser presentada en botella bordelesa.
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