Four CVNE Wines

Four wines from Spain's CVNE, aka Cune (coo-nay)

CVNE consists of three wineries; CVNE, Viña Real and Contino. They sent me four wines to showcase their different styles. However, if anything, what stands out is the family resemblance; plush, velvety wines with good fruit and a supple texture.

All are well made but I find myself rather preferring the more restrained, classic, food-friendly style of the Imperial - at the other end of the spectrum, the Contino proves to be a lovely quaffer if a little over-exuberant.

With ripe fruit and supple tannins, all are drinking nicely now and will only improve with further aging.

Classic
Imperial Reserva 2009 dark cherry fruit and leather, peppery spice and some cool mint. Fresh with excellent, substantial underpinnings and a firm assertiveness. Very Good Indeed.

£20.49 from Co-op, Majestic, Wine Rack, BBR, Wine Rack, Wimbledon Wine Cellars, Luvians, Fortnums, Cambridge Wine Merchants

Cune Reserva 2009 soft and supple, with good bramble fruit and spice, it is a little understated at the moment; I feel much more interesting wine will emerge in a couple of years as the secondary aromas develop. Good.

£14.99 from Waitrose, Majestic, Fresh & Wild (Camden), Wine Rack, Eynsham Cellars, Wimbledon, Hailsham Cellars, Village Wines (Amersham), Richard Dawes Fine Wine

Contemporary
Contino Reserva 2008 lifted sweet ripe red and black fruits, sweet vanilla and fine tannins. Expressive and modern with lots of primary fruit. Good.

£19.99 from Tesco, BBR, Moreno Wines, Oxford Wine, Cheers, Harrods

Viña Real Reserva 2009 red and dark berry fruits with oaky spice; velvety, plush and luxuriant. Good.

£17.99 from Berry Bros & Rudd, Wimbledon, Partridges, DeFINE food and Wine, Tanners Wines.

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