Contino Rosado 2021

Contino produce this rosado in D.O.Ca. Rioja, working from a single estate in Rioja Alavesa. The blend of Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo is grown on clay and limestone soils, with the warm days and cool nights of the Ebro valley giving ripe red fruit while holding onto acidity. What sets this wine apart is its ageing: 19 months in barrel, far longer than a standard rosé. The slow, controlled oxygen exchange through the oak softens the wine, builds texture and adds spice and a savoury complexity, while light lees contact in barrel rounds the mid-palate. The 2021 has a deeper pink colour with a coppery edge that reflects this extended ageing. The nose shows ripe strawberry, plum and redcurrant, with vanilla, dried herbs and a faint smoky note from the wood. On the palate it is dry and full for a rosé, with red fruit, citrus peel and a long, structured finish at 13.8% alcohol. This is a gastronomic rosé built for the table and able to take a year or two more in bottle. Serve lightly chilled at 10 to 12 degrees in a white-wine glass. It suits roast poultry and richer fish dishes.