The 2010 Garnacha was produced for the first time in very small quantities in 2008 and 2009, and they are getting ready to increase production to 3,000-5,000 bottles. They are also planting more Garnacha on the Contino estate. This is produced with selected bunches from different plots, some of them up to 70 years old. The grapes were fermented in a 100-hectoliter oak vats, malolactic fermentation was in used barriques of 300, 400 and 500 liters (previously used for the white wine), where they stayed for one year before being transferred to old 225-liter barrels to complete the two year elevage. It is a ripe Garnacha but with freshness, with ripe aromas of macerated cherries, some floral notes, a little austere in the medium-bodied palate, with good acidity. The nose shows riper than the palate. 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