Benjamín Romeo, Founder of Bodega Contador, Dies
Benjamín Romeo, founder of Bodega Contador, has died aged 61. From a cellar beneath San Vicente de la Sonsierra to 55 vineyard parcels, he helped move Rioja toward village, site and soil, leaving Contador as one of modern Spain’s defining wines.
The Rioja winemaker built one of Spain's defining independent estates from a centuries-old cave, a family garage and a sustained focus on individual vineyard parcels.
What happened
Benjamín Romeo, the winemaker and founder of Bodega Contador in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, has died, according to a report published on August 17 by La Rioja. His death removes one of the central figures in the generation that expanded Rioja's international identity through small-scale, vineyard-led projects.
At the time of writing, the report is the principal source for the announcement. Further details, including formal statements from the family or Bodega Contador, had not been identified in the sources reviewed by TCJ.
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