Ramón Bilbao Reserva 2019

Ramon Bilbao Reserva 2019 is a Rioja Alta red blending Tempranillo with Graciano and Mazuela. The fruit comes from four estates, Recilla, Valdegaru, Ozaku and La Olivera, with sandy-loam soils and old vineyards of more than forty years. Old vines like these crop modestly but concentrate the fruit, giving depth and balance, while the well-drained sandy-loam soils suit Tempranillo and lend finesse. Rioja Alta's continental climate, cooled by Atlantic air, ripens the grapes slowly and keeps the acidity firm. The wine ages twenty months in American oak, the traditional Rioja choice, which lends its hallmark vanilla and sweet spice along with a soft toffee roundness, while the slow oxygen exchange through the wood softens the tannins over the long elevage. Graciano and Mazuela add colour, acidity and aromatic lift to the Tempranillo core. It is medium to full bodied, with ripe red fruit, cherry, liquorice and damp earth on the nose foreshadowing the oak, and a palate of red berries, vanilla and developing tobacco. The tannins are smooth and the finish long. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanting ahead, with roast lamb or aged cheese.