2016 Benjamin Romeo Contador
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Tasting notes
100% Tempranillo from several vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Briones. Dry-farmed bush vines. Fermented in oak vats and aged 18 months in new French oak. Deep crimson. Rich and generous without obvious fruit sweetness. Dry, still chewy for a 10-year-old wine – powerful. Barely seems to have aged – the word ‘monumental’ comes to mind. I think it has the potential for elegance but still needs time. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The super elegant and insinuating 2016 Contador could very well be the modern version of the outstanding 2001. The nose is a little shy and takes time to reveal subtle aromas of violets, lilies and red cherries, deeply perfumed but not explosive. The explosion comes with the 2017 that I also tasted next to it; that was outspoken, while this 2016 is shyer. The palate is intense but velvety, even satiny, with ultra fine and elegant tannins and great purity of flavors, delineated, clean and symmetric. This has to be one of the finest Contador in recent times. Bravo! Unbelievably, this has 15.2% alcohol, which is completely disguised. This should age with grace and for a very long time, but it's hard to resist... 7,000 bottles were filled in June 2018.
Sweet fruits and eucalyptus on the nose with plenty of dense fruit. The palate flits between sweetness of fruit and savoury Asian spice, perhaps tending slightly towards sweetness, but just kept in check. The tannins are firm and will resolve with time. There is a lovely finish that creeps back towards the savoury gravel edge at the end. There’s a lot going on here. (AC)