The sumptuous 2009 Graciano was raised entirely in new French oak (with 10% Hungarian) for 15 to 16 months. It has a very intense, creme de cassis, blueberry and dark plum-tinged bouquet with a hint of baked cherries. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded, sensual entry. It is very supple and caressing in the mouth, with beautifully interwoven new oak towards the finish. It is a lush young Graciano that will need 5-6 years aging. Drink 2017-2027. CVNE was founded by the Real de Asua brothers in 1879 and has remained family-owned since that time. The historic bodega is located in Haro, and there are three companies under the umbrella: CVNE, Contino and Vina Real. These wines were tasted on two occasions in London, revisiting recent vintages plus older ones to compare. The Vino del Olivo is fermented in large oak vats and undergoes malolactic in new French barrels, where it is matured for 17 months. The Graciano is limited to around 6,000 bottles per vintage and is aged for 15 months in new oak (90% French and 10% Hungarian) and then 12 months in bottle. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin; www.europvin.com

The 2007 Graciano follows the tradition of the very first varietal Graciano ever bottled, the 1994 Contino Graciano, of which a grand total of 1,000 bottles were filled. However 2007’s weather was not as gentle as that of 1994, and in 2007 the Graciano was harvested late for the variety (end of September), fermented in a 100-hectoliter French oak vat, transferred for malolactic to new barriques and then aged in new barrels, 90% French oak and 10% Hungarian oak, for 15 months, and one year in bottle. It was a very cold year and the wine is even more Atlantic than the norm, with an austere profile, citric acidity, and notes of aromatic herbs and spices. This is a light vintage for Contino Graciano. 3,846 bottles were produced in 2007. Drink 2014-2020. Contino is not a brand name from CVNE, it’s a completely separate winery and vineyard in Laserna in the municipality of Laguardia in Rioja Alvesa created as a joint-venture with the owners of a superb vineyard, house and old caves in a meander of the Ebro river in 1973. It is considered the first chateau style winery in Rioja. All their wines are produced with their own grapes sourced from the 63 hectares of vineyards within their San Rafael estate. The style is terroir-driven, classical-modern. In 2013 they suffered a terrible hail storm on September 6, so we’ll see little Contino from the 2013 vintage. They just started experimenting with white in 2006 and they have only sold a couple of vintages. The Vina del Olivo was not ready with the new vintage (2010) so I quickly tasted the 2009, which showed extremely fresh and Atlantic for a powerful vintage, a highly drinkable wine which is already reviewed and available on the database. Imported by Europvin USA, Van Nuys, CA; www.europvin.com

The 2006 Contino Graciano (100%) spent 13 months in French and Hungarian oak. Dark ruby-colored, it has an exceptionally spicy bouquet along with sandalwood, graphite, damp earth, and black cherry. A bit tightly wound on the palate, its elegant personality is able to poke through along with plenty of layered, savory fruit. Give this well-balanced, lengthy wine another 5-7 years of cellaring and drink it from 2015 to 2026. C.V.N.E. stands for Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana (The Northern Spanish Wine Company) founded in 1879. It is better known as Cune. Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports; www.pasternakwine.com