La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Reserva 1995

Brick-edged in the glass, with a nose of dried cherry, cedar, vanilla and dusty cinnamon, everything in its proper place. Tart red fruit and a firm, cutting acidity keep the wine lean and slightly austere on the mid-palate, though there's real density lurking underneath, a spiced core that suggests this hasn't fully opened yet. Traditional Rioja built for the long haul and the dinner table. Give it time.