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21191 customer reviews
Bodega Contador - Rioja Alma 2020

Bodega Contador - Rioja Alma 2020

97/100

Robert Parker

94/100

James Suckling

Spain
Tempranillo
elegant
captivating
lamb

“The latest vintage from the renowned Benjamin Contador, Alma embodies the very essence of Rioja’s excellence, crafted from three of the winery’s most sublime vineyards!”

"[...] This is a fragrant, floral wine with notes of aromatic herbs; it’s slightly balsamic and quite bold, with very fine tannins and a refreshing quality, as it was made using more grapes from higher-altitude vineyards. It is powerful and elegant, and in a way, it reminds me of the style of the early vintages of La Cueva de Contador; it is clean and elegant. It has an alcohol content of 14.5% and a pH of 3.55. It is very young but already drinkable, as the quality of the tannins is very good. I think this is the wine I would buy from their portfolio if I could only buy one. It transported me back to the wines of the early 2000s.” (Wine Advocate 2022) - Delivery in a wooden case is available for orders of 6 bottles of this wine (depending on country and selected shipping method)

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21191 reviews
-20€

Starting at €99 on your first order

Estate

Bodega Contador

Vintage

Alma

Vintage

2020

Designation

Rioja

Region

Spain

Grape varieties

92% Tempranillo, 8% Grenache Rouge

Terroirs

Produced from three exceptional vineyards on the estate: La Liende, Diasol, and El Bombón, near the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, on clay-limestone soils

Viticulture

Reasoned

Grape Harvest

Manuals

Winemaking

Destemming but no pressing; fermentation in temperature-controlled tanks

Livestock farming

20 months in French oak barrels (100% new)

Alcohol content

14,50%

Eye

A vibrant ruby color with slight purple highlights

Nose

Delicate, alluring aromas of dark and blue fruits—blueberries and blackcurrants—enriched by floral notes of grass and dried violets, along with other balsamic undertones

Palate

Supple and fresh, with great depth and a wide range of aromas on the nose; fine-grained tannins; a magnificent, lingering finish; elegant and subtly briny

Serve

At 16-18°C

Open

2 hours before

Drink from

2024

Drink before

2035

Production

10,000 bottles

Food and wine pairings

Food and wine pairings

Serve with pork tenderloin or stuffed capon...

More information at Bodega Contador

More information at Rioja

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Wine rated (2022 guide) 97/100 (Extraordinary wine)

Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)

About the wine:

[...] It is a fragrant, floral wine with notes of aromatic herbs; it has a slightly balsamic character and is quite bold, with very fine tannins and a refreshing quality, as it was made using more grapes from higher-altitude vineyards. It is powerful and elegant, and in a way, it reminds me of the style of the early vintages of La Cueva de Contador; it is clean and elegant. It has an alcohol content of 14.5% and a pH of 3.55. It is very young but already drinkable, as the quality of the tannins is very good. I think this is the wine I would buy from their portfolio if I could only buy one. It transported me back to the wines of the early 2000s. 2022–2032

James Suckling

James Suckling

Wine rated (2022 guide) 94/100

About the wine:

A new project from Contador, which, according to Benjamin Romeo, has adopted a Bordeaux-style approach by blending grapes from vineyards located at three different altitudes. The blend is primarily composed of Tempranillo and a small amount of Garnacha. Immediately after pouring, the wine still exhibits a certain softness from the oak, but this fades and transforms into incense and sandalwood as it sits in the glass. This is followed by aromas of concentrated blueberry, balsamic purple fruits, hot stones, lavender, and iodine. The palate displays a high degree of ripeness and concentration, with purple and blue fruits that convey a sense of darkness, almost pulpy. But the fresh acidity keeps things in check, offering a nice contrast to the weight and extraction. Long, dense, and tight, yet silky. Still in its infancy at this stage, but full of potential. Slightly powerful on the finish. Will be released in 2023. Best enjoyed starting in 2025.

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