Bodegas Ramon Bilbao Tempranillo Rioja Edición Limitada Crianza 2009

Quite aggressively oaky on the nose at first sniff though there seems to be some interesting things going on underneath all that oak, as well as a bit of alcoholic heat. There’s definitely an impression of cherry fruit here as well as some baked, toasty notes. This is relatively thick up front and a bit soft in the mouth lending this a broad lush feeling. The oak is obvious, and lends this sweetness, yet somehow it manages to not be overwhelming. The fruit sits beneath the oak, lending good richness to the palate. The finish is rather dry and a bit short, with some black cherry fruit appearing on the finale. A well-made wine but one that trades feel for detail. 85pts

This shows a nice layered look on the nose with slightly jammy wild strawberry fruit well matched with lightly nutty oak that imparts a nice smoky top note here. In the mouth this combines a touch of extra richness with nice refreshing acids to give this a rare combination of weight and energy. The oak comes up on the mid-palate adding additional depth and complexity but never covers the fruit, which turns a bit more red currant like with edges of astringency. The finish is a touch dry with lovely tension created by the edge of astringency and the soft richness of the fruit. This lacks a touch of elegance but it packs a nice mouthful of fruitiness with a lovely hint of rusticity. This is a wine made for roast or grilled goat or lamb. 88pts