Alma Contador

The 2022 Alma Contador was produced with 92% Tempranillo and 8% Garnacha from vines in La Liende, El Bombón and Diasol of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, harvested between September 17 and 26. The destemmed grapes fermented in oak vats, and the wine matured in new French barriques for 20 months. It displays a dark purple color and a dark nose with ripe black fruit, damp earth, generous spice and smoke. It has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.5 and 5.75 grams of acidity, with abundant, fine-grained tannins and a long, dry finish. It has a very modern and clean profile. 13,000 bottles produced.

The 2021 Alma Contador, produced with 91% Tempranillo and 9% Garnacha, feels very ripe, and the label states 15% alcohol. It has notes of stewed fruit, dark spices, smoke and toast. It has a full-bodied palate with abundant tannins and is very powerful and concentrated but with all the components in good balance. This is going to require a little more time in bottle and/or powerful food. 14,000 bottles produced. It was bottled after 20 months in new French oak barrels.

The new red blend 2020 Alma Contador is going to be sold mostly through the négociants from Bordeaux. It was produced with grapes from three vineyards in San Vicente de la Sonsierra at different altitudes and is a blend of Tempranillo with 8% Garnacha with limited yields because of mildew. It matured in new French barriques for 20 months. He wanted a more classical image and perhaps a more classical profile of wine. It's perfumed and floral, with notes of aromatic herbs, a little balsamic and quite showy, with very fine tannins and freshness, as he used more grapes from the higher-altitude zones. It's powerful and elegant, and in a way it reminds me of the style of the initial vintages of La Cueva de Contador; it's clean and elegant. It's 14.5% alcohol with a pH of 3.55. It's very young but still drinkable, as the quality of the tannins is very good. I think this is the one wine I'd buy from their portfolio if I could only buy one. It transported me to the wines from the early 2000s. 10,000 bottles produced.