Bodegas Ramon Bilbao Reserva 2001

At the estates of La Recilla, Valdegaru, Ozaku and La Olivera, the soil, the sun and the rain create this exceptional wine, which assumes its final shape after blending. It is a wine with the know-how and flavour of a great Rioja Alta wine.

Intense cherry-red with a bright rim. Predominating nose of cocoa, coffee and cigar box aromas blending into notes of stewed fruit. Well-integrated, characterful tannins in the mouth that slowly lead to hints of cedar and ripe red fruit. The finish brings back toasty notes from the wood, such as cedar, enhanced by a light, pleasant hint of roast chestnuts.

"The modern style of this wine is apparent right from the vibrant color, both deep and bright. But rather than coming across as a fruit bomb, this wine offers a contemporary take on the earthier side of Rioja. It has a floral scent, like rosehips, and a firm, zesty feel. For now, the extraordinary length is more about earth than fruit, but there's a controlled intensity to the structure that predicts a long evolution ahead."
-Wines & Spirits 93/100