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Predicador 2023 is one of the most iconic wines from Bodega Contador, the only one to have earned 100 Parker points for two consecutive years. It is a juicy, balanced and modern wine, with 16 months in French oak and the essence of the renowned Benjamín Romeo.
Predicador 2023 is an emblematic Rioja produced by Bodega Contador from Tempranillo and Garnacha, with small contributions of Graciano and Mazuelo depending on the batch. After ageing for 15 months in French oak barrels, it presents itself as a contemporary and well-defined interpretation of the house style, with freshness as the through-line.
The grapes come from young vines in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida, farmed with sustainable farming. That origin, combined with the assemblage of selected plots, provides a precise reading of Rioja Alta and reinforces the character of a wine designed to express itself with balance and personality.
Bodegas Contador, the project of Benjamín Romeo, signs here its youngest wine, conceived as a tribute to the Clint Eastwood character in The Pale Rider. Predicador 2023 sums up the winery's philosophy very well: attention to detail, pursuit of identity and a production that looks to the present without losing its roots.
Pairing
Predicador 2023 pairs well with dishes with character and good depth, such as grilled red meats, a beef or rabbit stew and a roasted leg of lamb, where its ripe fruit and fine tannins sit naturally.
Serving temperature
Region
Grape variety
1% Graciano, 4% Garnacha Tinta, 91% Tempranillo, Mazuelo
Type of barrel
French oak barrels.
Type of bottle
Bordeaux Bottle
Barrel aging time
16 months
Capacity (cl)
75
Alcohol content (% vol.)
14.5
Allergens
sulfites
Aging
15 months in French oak barrels.
Description
Predicador 2023 comes from the younger vines of Bodega Contador in San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Labastida.
View
Medium cherry-red colour, with ruby rim, very clean and bright, with abundant legs, and a sign of good body in the glass.
Nose
It unfolds with a broad, clean and highly defined nose, with well-integrated ageing that adds depth and balance from the outset. The first notes open with juicy red fruit, which soon evolves into riper black fruit, blackberries and black cherries, while memories of violets, spices, coffee, undergrowth and liquorice appear clearly; in the background, toasty and smoky notes, refreshing balsamics and a delicate mineral nuance round off a seductive and nuanced aromatic phase.
Mouth
On the palate, Predicador 2023 progresses with ease and grows in intensity as it develops, offering a juicy, balanced and modern progression. Its fine and luscious tannin wraps around the dark fruit without dampening its freshness, while the good acidity provides vitality and balance. The result is a wine that is approachable, full-bodied and fruity, with an elegant trail and a persistent finish in which a very pleasant mineral touch reappears.
Benjamín Romeo is one of the most prominent figures among those local winemakers who renewed Rioja in the nineties. His wine Contador catapulted him to international glory. A revolutionary Rioja with which he achieved, in two consecutive vintages (2004 and 2005), the 100 Parker points, the highest international recognition for a wine. The meticulous care of the vineyard explains the quality of his range of wines, conceived as a reflection of the environment and the terroir.
The history of Bodegas Contador began in 1995, in a small garage winery. And it was literally "garage," as his first wines fermented in a garage, while the aging process took place in a cave dug into the hillside, traditionally used for winemaking and aging: the Contador cave. After leaving Artadi in 1999, where he worked as a winemaker, Benjamín Romeo devoted all his attention to his personal project.
A great connoisseur of the area, he gradually acquired small vineyards around San Vicente de Sonsierra (D.O.Ca. Rioja), on the slopes of the Sierra de Toloño, which met high-quality standards: old vines on poor soils, with different exposures and altitudes. In 2008, he inaugurated a new and spectacular winery in the middle of the vineyards of San Vicente de la Sonsierra.
