Vega Sicilia, Valbuena 5.°, Ribera del Duero 2021

One of the finest Valbuenas available, showcasing great depth, structure and detail while remaining polished. It exhibits notes of blackberries, cocoa powder, graphite, and high-quality sandalwood, with hints of lard and violets. The standout feature this year is the quantity and quality of the tannins—huge, yet incredibly refined and polished. There are plenty of fine grits that aren’t fully integrated but should harmonize in two to three years. Exceptionally long finish. Will hold effortlessly for the next 20 years. 176,000 bottles produced.

The 2021 Valbuena comes from a year with pristine grapes, good ripeness and balance. For them, this is one of their finest years, when they didn't have to rush and everything happened in a smooth way. The year was marked by the snowstorm Filomena in January, which provided good water reserves, and the rest of the winter had temperatures reaching minus 15 degrees Celsius! This is a blend of 96% Tinto Fino (a local clone of Tempranillo) and 4% Merlot aged in barrels and 8,500- and 21,000-liter oak vats during the first year and later on only in oak vats. This is the youngest expression of the "Vega" nose—subtler and elegant, more insinuating, less developed and keeping some primary notes; it's not as tertiary as the Únicos. It comes in at 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.85 and 4.65 grams of acidity, and it has a medium- to full-bodied palate, with elegant tannins and very good balance. This is one of the finest recent vintages for Valbuena, and in a way, it reminded me of the 2010, with elegance and precision. A total of 176,876 bottles, 5,566 magnums and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in May 2024.