CVNE Contino Vina del Olivo Rioja 2007 (Magnum)

(88% tempranillo and 12% graciano) Opaque purple. C aptivating nose melds black raspberry, minerals, mocha, mint and dried flowers. Lush, fat and sweet, but its opulent red berry, cherry and dark chocolate flavors are enlivened by strong minerality. As deeply concentrated and palate-staining as this wine is, it shows unlikely elegance. In fact, this reminds me a little of a modern Bordeaux The finish is sweet, smoky and very long.

• Reviewer Name: Josh Raynolds
• Review Date: September 2010