The Bodega Contador story starts in 1995 when Benjamin Romeo, winemaker and vine-grower, acquired a centuries old cave hewn into the rock beneath the Castle of San Vicente de la Sonsierra (Rioja). In 1996 he made the first vintage of his “La Cueva del Contador” wine and started to buy vineyards for his plan to become a “bodeguero” – a wine producer.
In the following years he carried out small scale vinifications in the cave and continued to acquire vineyards. In 1999 he made the first vintage of “Contador”. Seeing these first wines favourably received by the market and specialist press, in 2000 Benjamin decided to dedicate himself full time to his personal project.
Throughout 2001 Benjamin Romeo reconditioned and equipped the garage at his parents’ home in San Vicente for winemaking, thereby increasing the vinification capacity over what was possible in the cave.
The North American wine critic Robert Parker’s Review awarded maximum points (100) to the 2004 and 2005 vintages of Contador, made in the garage. This accolade, hitherto unknown in Spain, hugely increased the label’s international prestige.
Predicador Tinto 2020
Predicador is a red with a bright, intense colour, which smells of fruit and earth, but also of balsamic notes, menthol and wild herbs; that feeling of being deeply rooted to the earth which is palpable all the way through. This is a concentrated, mature, fresh and complex wine, with a certain minerality (stones), some subtle caramelised sugar notes, liquorice, spices (cloves) and the scent of red roses, and plenty of volume.
Shows a very tense purple color. On the nose shows ripe red fruits. Very mineral. With balsamic and fine woods. In the mouth it has an enveloping volume and, as my friend Paco’s father used
to said about these kind of wines: “This is chocolate”. Long life.
92% Tempranillo, 3% Garnacha, 3% Mazuelo and 2% Graciano
Serve between 16ºC and 18ºC
Food Pairing: Sausages and Ham, Vegetables, Stews and Casseroles, Rice (Paella), Red Meat
Que Bonito Cacareaba 2019
Que Bonito Cacareaba 2019 features a brilliant yellow colour. On the nose is a fine and elegant wine. With citrus aromas, notes of aromatic herbs and wild flowers, also with stone fruits touches (apricot, plum). Mineral future. The contribution of oak promises a good integration.
The palate is fresh and fine, with a good skeleton. A great balance between ripeness, acidity and freshness has been got making the harvest on time. It will have a long life. It’s a great white wine. Very fine one. Minerality and Elegance.
45% Garnacha Blanca, 38% Viura, 17% Malvasía
Le Cueva Del Contador 2019
La Cueva del Contador 2018 is bright and very dense red-violet color. The nose is deep and with a great volume. Highlight the red and black compote fruit with spicy, mineral and balsamic notes, also a touch of toasted. The wood is fine, present and it has to be integrated. Good
evolution. In the mouth it is powerful and well balanced in terms of maturity and freshness. Final is long and fresh. It is elegant. It promises long life.
100% Tempranillo
Predicador Tinto 2019
Predicador is a red with a bright, intense colour, which smells of fruit and earth, but also of balsamic notes, menthol and wild herbs; that feeling of being deeply rooted to the earth which is palpable all the way through. This is a concentrated, mature, fresh and complex wine, with a certain minerality (stones), some subtle caramelised sugar notes, liquorice, spices (cloves) and the scent of red roses, and plenty of volume.
Shows a very tense purple color. On the nose shows ripe red fruits. Very mineral. With balsamic and fine woods. In the mouth it has an enveloping volume and, as my friend Paco’s father used
to said about these kind of wines: “This is chocolate”. Long life.
92% Tempranillo, 3% Garnacha, 3% Mazuelo and 2% Graciano
Serve between 16ºC and 18ºC
Food Pairing: Sausages and Ham, Vegetables, Stews and Casseroles, Rice (Paella), Red Meat
Predicador Blanco 2021
In the nose have notes of fine and aromatics herbs, flowers and fruits like apricot and plum. It’s fresh, complex and very mineral. It has very elegant oak notes.
The palate is balanced in terms of maturity, warmth with very present and long acidity. This is a very fresh white wine, with good tannin structure, fine and lively. Good volume and long.
44% Viura, 36% Malvasía, 20% Garnacha Blanca
Predicador Blanco 2020
In the nose have notes of fine and aromatics herbs, flowers and fruits like apricot and plum. It’s fresh, complex and very mineral. It has very elegant oak notes.
The palate is balanced in terms of maturity, warmth with very present and long acidity. This is a very fresh white wine, with good tannin structure, fine and lively. Good volume and long.
44% Viura, 36% Malvasía, 20% Garnacha Blanca
Contador 2018
Contador 2018 has a red cherry color with very high intensity and brightness.
In the nose, there are red and black fruits very mature, and appear the aromatic herbs (thyme, rosemary, lavender and fennel). It also shows a marked mineral character with fine wood notes.
The palate is very fine and powerful, also very bulky. It shows a great balance between fruit and oak. Final aftertaste is long and intense. It’s very ripe and tasty. It has high deepness and a great balance. Endless.
100% Tempranillo
Contador 2015
The red flagship 2015 Contador was selected from vines over 60 years of age, and it fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in new French oak barrels for 20 months. It feels like a great vintage for the top bottling, as it has enough ripeness and concentration but is also terribly elegant, floral and nuanced. 2015 was a warm and dry year with the risk of excessive wines, but this Contador is beautifully balanced and has a rare combination of concentration and lightness. There is a nice core of freshness that lifts the wine up and gives it length. 6,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2017.
100% Tempranillo
Le Cueva Del Contador 2018
La Cueva del Contador 2018 is bright and very dense red-violet color. The nose is deep and with a great volume. Highlight the red and black compote fruit with spicy, mineral and balsamic notes, also a touch of toasted. The wood is fine, present and it has to be integrated. Good
evolution. In the mouth it is powerful and well balanced in terms of maturity and freshness. Final is long and fresh. It is elegant. It promises long life.
100% Tempranillo
La Cueva Del Contador 2016
La Cueva del Contador 2016 grapes were selected from 35-55 years old vineyards, where a yield around a kilo of grapes per vine is produced to get the fruit and tannin concentration wished.
La Cueva del Contador 2016 is bright and dense red-violet in colour. The nose is deep and wraparound. Highlight the red and black compote fruit with spicy, mineral and balsamic notes, also a touch of toasted. The wood is fine, present and it has to be integrated. In the mouth it is powerful and well balanced in terms of maturity and freshness. Final is long and fresh. It is elegant.
100% Tempranillo
Predicador Blanco 2019
In the nose have notes of fine and aromatics herbs, flowers and fruits like apricot and plum. It’s fresh, complex and very mineral. It has very elegant oak notes.
The palate is balanced in terms of maturity, warmth with very present and long acidity. This is a very fresh white wine, with good tannin structure, fine and lively. Good volume and long.
44% Viura, 36% Malvasía, 20% Garnacha Blanca
"Apricot, fresh mango, lemon pie, stones and smoked almonds on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied with fresh acidity and a rich, round palate." - James Suckling