Finca Los Hoyales 2012

"The limited and modern 2012 Finca Los Hoyales, from the Ribera del Duero project of Riojan Ramón Bilbao, comes in a heavy and waxed bottle with a cloth label and wears a heavy price tag. It's pure Tempranillo from an 1.8-hectare plot of old vines fermented in oak barrels with indigenous yeasts and an élevage of 22 months in brand new barriques. The wine has a modern and oaky profile, but it's quite clean and the fruit seems able to overcome the slightly brutal dose of oak it received. The tannins are fine, and there's good concentration and freshness, denoting balance. Give it some more time in bottle. 6,000 bottles produced."