Rioja Chorus Contino 2024 (750ML)

96 Points, Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux: "Blood orange, red cherry, roses and peony floral aromatics, enveloping with grip and tension, reflecting the al dente character of the vintage, and the layered complexity of the old vines at Contino. Fragrant and finessed, expands in the glass over 30 minutes, maintaining its sculpted side but deepening to show richer spiced plum, campfire and liquorice. Aged in 70% new oak, 3.7ph, just 3,000 bottles. Celebrating 50 years of Contino ownership by CVNE, this wine is a collaberation between Víctor Urrutia and Guillaume Thienpont of Vieux Château Certan, alongside Contino winemaker Jorge Navascués. The fruit is drawn from three blocks of the 55ha vineyard, which are then vinified and aged separately." 03/26

96 Points, Luis Gutierrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2024 Chorus was produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first wine from 1974. They decided to bring someone from outside to do a different interpretation of their vineyards and selected Guillaume Thienpont, from Vieux Château Certan fame. With the help of the Jorge Navascués technical team, they crafted an ethereal, fluid, brilliant Contino from 2024, different from any other ever produced here. The secret is to control the natural power of the place and to find the essence with finesse. It's pure Tempranillo that comes from three plots in the San Rafael estate, Viña del Olivo, San Gregorio Encina and Don Vicente, with different soils and orientations. The bunches were selected by hand and the grapes were sorted by an optical machine and fermented in oak vats with constant tasting to adjust the length and intensity of the pump-overs. It went through malolactic fermentation and 12 months of élevage in Seguin Moreau, Sylvain and Taransaud barriques, 50% of them new, 50% used. It is super young and showy, extroverted and expressive, a little lactic and creamy, with ripe fruit and a forward personality. It comes in at a moderate 13.86%, with a pH of 3.69 and 5.37 grams of acidity, parameters of balance and freshness, super elegant and sleek, velvety and with a dry finish. It has finesse and length. It has to be one of the finest wines produced at the property. A total of 2,800 bottles and 100 magnums were produced. It was bottled in January 2026. They will continue doing this wine every year in future vintages. The 2025 is already in progress..." 03/26

97 Points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous: "The 2024 Chorus (100% Tempranillo) marks the estate’s first wine of its kind, crafted under the direction of Guillaume Thienpont (Château Le Pin). Twelve months in French oak, 50% new, shaped its élevage. Fresh plum, delicate florals and pomegranate lead the nose, with a refined smoky nuance. On the palate, it is dry, plush and ample, moving with enveloping flow and layered red fruit intensity. Finely integrated oak and the precision of the 2024 vintage lend extra definition to the fruit profile. A modernized interpretation." 04/26

97 Points, Jacobo Garcia Andrade, JamesSuckling.com: "The nose reveals dark fruits, crunchy blackberries and violets. The palate is well knitted, medium- to full-bodied with polished, velvety tannins that focus toward the finish. Fresh dark fruit is very well delineated throughout. The wine is cohesive, as well as a polished expression of the Contino vineyard. It is already drinkable but will certainly age gracefully. It has vivacity and elegance, along with a clear sense of structure and a long, persistent trail of fruit on the finish. This is a collaboration between Contino and Vieux Château Certan’s Guillaume Thienpont from Pomerol. It is pure tempranillo chosen from three different parcels within the Contino vineyard. Drink or hold." 02/26