An oaken cloak is not usually loved by me, but sometimes I can see a place for it in the spectrum of wines, but it needs to be a wine whose profile can stand up to it and perhaps complement instead of dominate. Traditional Bordeaux can have that structure, and Tempranillo, despite being a lighter weighted wine, can wear it well too if it is done right. Thus, a Canon-la-Gaffeliere, Saint Emillion, 1999 wore the modern knitted oak cloak, but wore it well, like a custom fitted tunic. This exhibited a lovely exotic aroma of camphorish cedar & cassis, with floral spicy notes. Inside, there were rich flavors of chocolate covered blueberries, fresh blackcurrant juice, and fresh raspberries. There is a short finish here, a slight warmth that detracts from the purity a bit, and tannins that make themselves known but do not intrude. A sleek and modern wine, to be sure, but well done in my opinion.
Then there's the complementing oak, proabably American, found in thePesquera, Ribera del Duero, tinto, 2000.
The oak steps in front like a kevlar vest, saying 'Bite this first!', and indeed, is front-and-center in this wine, adding sweetness and depth to the cherry & licorice flavors. A richer year (like a 1991 or 2001) might stand up better and make a nicer and longer aged wine, but this is not bad. Still, I recommend neither to the quercaphobes out there.
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