Summary
CVNE – the Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España, internationally often simply called Cune – is one of the great historic names of Rioja. Founded in 1879 in the station district of Haro, the bodega is still family-owned today, now in its fifth generation. Under its umbrella it unites several independent houses: the original winery with Cune, Imperial and Monopole, plus Viña Real in Rioja Alavesa and the single-vineyard estate Contino. CVNE made headlines worldwide in 2013, when the Imperial Gran Reserva 2004 became the first Spanish wine to take first place in Wine Spectator's Top 100.
History
The story of CVNE begins in 1879, when the Bilbao-born brothers Eusebio and Raimundo Real de Asúa, together with the oenologist Isidro Corcuera, founded a winery in Haro. The location was a deliberate choice: right next to the railway station, from where the wines could be shipped to Bilbao, to France and around the world. It is also said that one of the founders sought out Rioja's drier climate because of his asthma.
The brands that still define the house emerged early on: Monopole was registered in 1915 – Spain's oldest registered white wine brand – followed in the 1920s by Imperial and Viña Real. The name Cune goes back to a misunderstanding: the V in the CVNE lettering was read as a U, and customers spoke of 'Cune'. The family eventually adopted the name for its classic range.
In 1973, Viñedos del Contino in Laserna became one of the first Spanish estates founded on the château principle: wine made exclusively from a single, contiguous, estate-owned vineyard. In 2004 the modern Viña Real bodega opened near Laguardia, and shortly afterwards Imperial was given its own cellar within the original house in Haro. Today the group is led by Víctor Urrutia, who together with his sister represents the fifth generation of the founding family.
Location & Terroir
The original house lies in Haro's Barrio de la Estación, the legendary station district where several of Rioja's most traditional bodegas are concentrated. Haro belongs to Rioja Alta, the higher-lying western part of the region shaped by Atlantic influence. Calcareous clay and loam soils, cool nights and long ripening periods produce wines with taut acidity and great ageing potential.
Viña Real and Contino, by contrast, lie in Rioja Alavesa at the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria, whose mountain range holds back cold northern winds. Contino's vineyards sit in a loop of the Ebro near Laserna; the combination of river proximity, gravel and limestone gives the wines both density and freshness. Overall, the group farms vineyards in several parts of Rioja, supplemented by purchased grapes.
Style & Philosophy
CVNE stands for the classic Rioja style: Tempranillo as the backbone, complemented by Graciano, Mazuelo and Garnacha, aged for a long time in barrique and then in bottle. At the same time, each house in the group has its own profile. Cune delivers approachable, reliable Crianzas and Reservas, Imperial embodies the elegant, long-lived side of Rioja Alta, Viña Real shows the more powerful, fruit-driven signature of Rioja Alavesa, and Contino stands for the idea of the single-vineyard wine.
The historic barrel hall in Haro is considered an architectural gem: its steel roof structure needs no supporting columns and is attributed to the workshop of Gustave Eiffel. It symbolises the combination of tradition and technical innovation that has shaped the house since its founding.
Notable Sites & Wines
The portfolio ranges from everyday wines to rare top bottlings. Among the best known are:
- Imperial Gran Reserva – the flagship from Rioja Alta, made only in selected vintages
- Viña Real Gran Reserva – powerful Rioja from Rioja Alavesa
- Contino Reserva and Contino single-vineyard wines from Laserna
- Real de Asúa – a small prestige cuvée honouring the founders since 1994
- Monopole – a fresh white wine from Viura, also made in a traditional, aged style as Monopole Clásico
- Cune Crianza and Reserva – the house's classic range
Awards
CVNE's greatest success came in December 2013: Wine Spectator named the Imperial Gran Reserva 2004 No. 1 in its annual Top 100 – the first Spanish wine ever to achieve this. Beyond that, the wines of Imperial, Viña Real and Contino regularly receive high scores from international critics. With more than 140 years of history, the Eiffel-attributed hall and brands such as Monopole, CVNE is regarded as one of the defining institutions of Spanish winemaking.
