A vision with no limits: Ramón Bilbao’s Límites Norte and Sur

Stretching 120 kilometres from east to west, Rioja comprises over 60,000ha of vines. The landscape ranges dramatically in elevation – from 300m to 800m, with soils, rainfall and temperatures shifting considerably as you follow the River Ebro, which flows through the heart of the region. No wines showcase the extremes of the region better than Ramón Bilbao’s Límites project – first made in 2017.

Límite Norte comes from Cuzcurrita, southwest of Haro, on a plateau at 550m-650m. Once too cool for vines and home instead to wheat, beetroot and potatoes, this area has benefited from climate change, with grapes ripening fully – while retaining bright acidity.

The team planted the rare Maturana Blanca (one of Rioja’s oldest recorded varieties) and Tempranillo Blanco, with the wine a 50/50 blend of the two – Maturana Blanca bringing aromatic intensity, while the Tempranillo Blanco offers structure and texture.

The red counterpart Límite Sur, hails from the Sierra del Monte Yerga, in the southeast of Rioja, from vines on rugged, north-facing slopes at 550m-750m. Made with pure Garnacha, this is a wine defined by its freshness and precision – with delicate, floral aromatics, offering a Burgundy-inspired expression of Rioja.

Both the Límites wines are fermented and aged in a combination of concrete, amphorae and old barrels – neutral vessels that allow the distinct terroir to shine through.

For technical director Rosana Lisa Oliva, working in the region’s marginal zones ‘allows for the recovery of freshness and elegance in wine despite global warming’. After eight vintages, the wines continue to surprise the team – year by year revealing the potential of Rioja’s furthest reaches.

Discover the Ramón Bilbao Limites range

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