I tasted this wine recently and was surprised by how heavy the oak came through. I’m surprised that there’s been no mention of that in this thread. I’ve also noticed it in other vintages of their wine. Has anyone else?
I had it las night and it showed like a classic old school Rioja. No oak notes noticeable. It was served next to a Terreus 2004 and the contrast was very noticeable between new school Ribera and old school Rioja.
Certainly I find the American oak noticeable in LRA’s 904 and Ardanza, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a 1000% traditional recipe that works here.
Which vintages are you talking about?
I find the oak shows very differently bottle to bottle on the LRA. Sometimes it clobbers you (on the Ardanza, particularly), sometimes it doesn’t. I don’t think it’s bottle variation – just the vagaries of wine. As I said, the bottle of 2005 904 last night showed only moderate oak.
Had two bottles of the Ardanza side by side back in December at a dinner party… and the oak was definitely more pronounced in one than the other. Could have been storage. Initially thought it was a different vintage but they were in fact the same. 
I doubt it was storage. These wines are just capricious, particularly with regard to the oak. The leftovers of the 2005 904 smelled much oakier last night.
Seriously great value wine! Get it every year.