Within Rioja’s historic heartland Ramón Bilbao’s cellars hold over a century of history, yet the bodega hums with energy and insatiable curiosity—the secret recipe behind the estate’s steady rise to prominence in both Rioja and Rueda.
Named among the world’s top 50 wine brands an impressive seven consecutive years, the estate takes a fresh approach to delivering thoughtfully expressive Spanish wines: Ramón Bilbao wines put fresh fruit flavors on a pedestal, delivering contemporary elegance and full-flavored, high-energy wines that allow their prestigious origins to shine. Combining the use of towering concrete tanks with Spain’s traditional oak barrel-aging, the wines honor tradition while simultaneously offering a fresh perspective on the country’s legendary terroir.
With over 600 acres under vine, Ramón Bilbao’s wealth of vineyards offer myriad opportunities to showcase their approach. Ramón Bilbao is dedicated to indigenous Spanish grape varieties, and its diverse vineyards champion Tempranillo including Garnacha in Rioja and Verdejo in Rueda, including the rare Maturana Blanca and Tempranillo Blanco, among others.
Few wines—Spanish or otherwise—match Ramón Bilbao’s devotion to single-vineyard winemaking like the Lalomba series, Ramón Bilbao’s decade-long quest to define terroir in Rioja. Beginning with the development of Finca Lalinde ten years ago, Ramón Bilbao has been studying the nuances of single-estates across their home region. At Lalinde, for instance, altitudes over 500 meters combine with limestone soils and native scrub to yield elegant, Grenache-based wines. Meanwhile, at Finca Valhonta, Tempranillo grapes slowly ripen surrounded by towering pine forests at the edge of viticultural potential. Atop chalky, clay terraces these vines grow slowly at the confluence of Atlantic, Continental, and Mediterranean climates. Finca Ladera balances out the trio, demonstrating the power that arises in Garnacha and Tempranillo grown on alluvial soils near the Iberian mountains. In the glass, Ramón Bilbao’s signature, fruit-driven style allows the singular terroir of each estate to shine, unfettered by heavy oak use.
The arid high plains of Rueda, by contrast, form the birthplace for many of Spain’s most prized white wines. Here, Verdejo vines create an oasis-like patchwork of green, gently ripening delicate grapes with the ideal ratio of sugars, acids, and complex compounds to yield dynamic white wines. The wines capture the energy of these high-elevation vines with verve and vitality. Leading the project for the past 25 years and one of Spain’s most recognized winemakers, Rodolfo Bastida—together with Sara Bañuelos, Rueda Director at Ramón Bilbao, and Rosana Lisa, Premium and I+D Wine Projects Director—continues to shape the winery’s enduring legacy of excellence.
The estate’s innovative approach goes beyond a focus on fruit purity in their wines and top-tier cultivation methods. The estate’s Spanish Wine Academy highlights the uniqueness of Spanish terroirs on a global scale, while the Spanish Wine Master competition, is a global contest where participants demonstrate their deep knowledge of Spanish wine. Last year’s Spanish Wine Master final coincided with the estate’s centurion celebrations at the estate itself.
Fueled by 100 years of expertise and a pioneering spirit, Ramón Bilbao wines reflect the warmth of Spanish hospitality—flexible, inspiring, and ready whenever the moment strikes. From bottles designed for cherishing and long-term cellaring like the Lalomba releases and vaunted Mirto, to Ramón Bilbao’s gold-standard Crianza, each release is a snapshot of Spain’s lauded terroir. Always crafted with a modern, fruit-forward style, the lower-alcohol limited-edition Early Harvest showcases the depth and potential of Spanish terroir in a contemporary light for drinkers eager to experience lighter, easy-drinking Spanish wines. The estate’s Edición Limitada Garnacha, meanwhile, showcases the vibrant Mediterranean climate in an aromatic wine that spotlights the classic flavors of Garnacha. Similarly, the Edición Limitada Tempranillo highlights Spain’s flagship red grape variety’s bold cherry flavors and subtle earthy notes in a smooth, sophisticated red.
In 1924, Ramón Bilbao’s pioneering spirit led him to trademark the first iteration of his namesake winery—beginning the estate’s 100-year legacy of innovative practices and novel approaches to Spain’s legendary terroir. Today, through contemporary, fruit-forward wines that showcase their origins over oak, Ramón Bilbao continues to blaze new trails while honoring the generational knowledge that gives Ramón Bilbao its perpetual edge.
bodegasramonbilbao.com • @bodegasramonbilbao
Dining and Cooking