El Coto Spanish Red
Rioja Tempranillo from Oyón, poured in Commack since the start.
The story behind El Coto
El Coto was founded in 1970 by a group of Rioja wine professionals, with Eduardo Santos-Ruiz assembling the core management team in 1979. The house sits in Oyón, in Rioja Alavesa, and today owns more estate vineyard than any other producer in the D.O.Ca. Rioja, over 730 hectares spread across Rioja Alta, Alavesa and Oriental. Reds are 100% Tempranillo.
Ownership passed to the Spanish group Barón de Ley, and the winery kept doing what made it: traditional wood aging in a deep inventory of American and French oak. The International Wine & Spirit Competition named it Spanish Winery of the Year in 2016, and the Coto de Imaz Gran Reserva 2012 took Best in Show at Decanter in 2019 with 97 points.
Explore the El Coto range
Five bottlings reach us from Oyón, from an $11.99 Crianza to a Reserva-tier Imaz. Reds carry Tempranillo; the Blanco blends Viura, Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Coto Rioja 750mL | Crianza, Tempranillo | 13.5% ABV | Ripe red berries, vanilla, cocoa; 12 months oak |
| El Coto Organic 750mL | Organic Tempranillo | 13.5% ABV | Fresh cherry, dried herb, soft oak |
| El Coto Coto De Imaz Rioja 750mL | Reserva, Tempranillo | 13.5% to 14% ABV | Firmer tannin, dark plum, cedar, long finish |
| El Coto Coto De Imaz Blanco 750mL | White blend | 12% ABV | Citrus, green apple, floral; serve chilled |
| El Coto Rioja Rose 750mL | Rosado, Garnacha | 13% ABV | Strawberry, watermelon, dry finish |
Which El Coto is right for you?
The entry El Coto Rioja runs $11.99, and the Organic bottling is $13.99, which is quiet money for estate-grown Tempranillo aged in American and French oak. Step to the Coto De Imaz Rioja at $15.99 for the firmer Reserva build, or the Coto De Imaz Blanco at $17.99 when you want the Viura blend chilled. The Rioja Rose lists at $6 and is currently out of stock, so ask us and we will tell you when it lands. Buy El Coto online and pick it up curbside in Commack.
$11.99 buys oak-aged Tempranillo that handles a Tuesday steak without ceremony.
Certified organic farming, same Rioja profile, two dollars more than the entry bottle.
Reserva-level oak and tannin at $15.99 that will hold a few years in the rack.