The 1999 Imperial Gran Reserva from a good vintage has a very expressive nose of Asian spices, balsamic, violets, and assorted black fruits. Elegant on the palate, it is a wine of finesse in combination with intense flavors and a lengthy, pure, silky finish. It will drink well for another 6-8 years. 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. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin, www.europvin.com

Textbook Rioja gran reserva in every way. It’s light and smoky smelling, with brown sugar, fine cologne and cedary aromas. Generous but well-cut in the mouth, with fig, mushroom, raspberry and spiced plum flavors. Fresh on the finish, with light herb flavors and good weight. Drink now through 2018.——M.S.(2/1/2012)—— 94