Lively and intense, red-violet in the glass with a deep aroma of red and black berries, fruit compote, spicy notes and balsamic with a fine touch of oak. Full and powerful but a long, elegant aftertaste.
Reviews
95 POINTS
Tim Atkin
The story of Bodega Contador and some of Spain’s absolute best wines begins in 1995, when Winemaker Benjamin Romeo bought a centuries-old cave under the castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja. In 1996 he produced his first vintage of his ‘La Cueva del Contador’ and began to buy up a number of vineyards to support his plan to become a real wine producer. In the following years, however, he still produced his wines in the cave, while he continued to buy up vineyards. In 1999 he produced the first vintage of the wine ‘Contador’. The wines were immediately well received by both customers and the press. In 2001, he moved into new premises with his parents, which he furnished with new and modern equipment. In 2004 and 2005, Romeo achieved one of the greatest knighthoods one can achieve. It happened when the famous wine critic Robert Parker gave Contador the maximum 100 out of 100 points, which immediately raised Romeo’s international recognition. In 2008, Romeo was finally able to open his own winery in San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
About Bodega Contador
The story of Bodega Contador begins in 1995, when winemaker Benjamin Romeo bought a centuries-old cave carved into the rock below the castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra in Rioja. In 1996 he made the first vintage of his wine La Cueva del Contador and began buying vineyards to become a “bodeguero” – winemaker.
In the years that followed, Romero made wine on a small scale in the cave while continuing to buy vineyards. In 1999 he made the first vintage of “Contador”. They were very positively received by reviewers and consumers alike, so Romero decided in 2000 to dedicate himself full-time to his personal project.
Hats off to Robert Parker
During 2001, Benjamin Romeo renovated and equipped his parents’ garage in San Vicente for winemaking, thereby increasing the capacity compared to what was possible in the cave.
Despite the small score, the American wine critic Robert Parker gave the maximum points (100) to the 2004 and 2005 vintages of Contador, which were made in the parents’ garage. This recognition, hitherto unknown in Spain, greatly increased the wines’ international prestige.
From 2004 to 2006, Benjamin Romeo and architect Hector Herrera worked together on the design of his winery, which was built in 2006-2008.
