This historic bodega has been an integral part of Christopher Piper Wines’ core selection, dating back over forty years.
CVNE’s portfolio is made up of ten leading Spanish wineries, six of which are based in the Rioja region: CVNE, Imperial, Viña Real, Contino, Monopole and Asúa. Established in 1879 by the Real de Asúa brothers, the company is still run by the same family who have built up an international reputation for its hand-crafted and traditional wines.
The original CVNE bodega was in the Barrio de la Estación train station in Haro. However, since 1989, wine-making is now carried out at the ‘El Pilar’ facility which was the first in Spain to use gravity to move around must and the finished wine. (we offer the CVNE Crianza and Reserva).
Imperial is a small, independent bodega, situated within the CVNE winery in Haro. It is universally regarded as one of Rioja’s leading producers, with their Imperial Reserva and Gran Reserva Imperial only produced in outstanding vintages. They are the essence of Rioja Alta, combining precision and power.
Viña Real is situated on the top of a small hill, just 10 minutes from Logroño, an iconic design from 2004 which manages to blend the topography of Rioja into the building itself. Natural light, caverns dug to store the wine and cutting-edge technology define this monumental work, designed by Philippe Maziéres. Viña Real’s wines have the unmistakable stamp of the unique Rioja Alavesa terroir: wines with excellent ageing potential, body, structure and aromatic intensity, predominantly fruity.
Viñedos del Contino was founded in 1973 and was the fore-runner of single vineyard estates in Rioja. The casa señorial, in Laserna, is surrounded by 62 hectares of vineyards from which all its wines are sourced along a bend of the river Ebro. Its 16th-century cave cellars are amongst the oldest in the Rioja region.
Finally, there is Monopole, Spain's first white wine brand, launched in 1915. Made entirely from Rioja Alta grapes, it is characterised by its clean and precise aromatics, backed up with a subtle salty finish, and lifting acidity.
