Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2015 (750ML)

97 JS / 96 WA / 96 VM / 96 DE

The aromas to this are so complex and enticing with nutmeg, dark berries, chocolate and white pepper. Full body. Dense and layered with so much wonderful, complex and succulent character. It just makes you want to drink it. Drink or hold. James Suckling

The 2015 Valbuena, a red blend of mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Merlot, is released in the fifth year after the harvest. It's explosive and showy, with a complex nose that shows a mixture of flowers and wild herbs, balsamic touches and great nuance. This wine has gained in complexity since the 2010 vintage, where they implemented some changes that increased the expressivity and precision of this wine. The tannins are fine-grained and there is very good balance, and the warm conditions of the year have been absorbed well by the wine. Despite the natural conditions of the year, the wine follows the path of freshness of the 2010. 173,673 bottles, 5,625 magnums and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in June 2018. - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

Opaque garnet. Vibrant, finely detailed cherry liqueur, dark berry, exotic spice and floral qualities on the expressive nose, along with hints of mocha and incense. Stains the palate with sweet, penetrating red and dark fruit, violet pastille, chewing tobacco and spicecake flavors that pick up a vanilla flourish on the back half. Smoothly blends power and finesse and finishes on a youthfully tannic note, showing outstanding clarity and mineral-tinged persistence.- Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Valbuena is moving on up. Undoubtedly it needs time to blossom, but the building blocks are firmly in place. The oak is very refined, the fruit is dark and intense. Yet it's fresh, and with a welcome savoury spice to counterbalance the richness. The finish is very long, with a fine texture and that keynote lift of acidity. This needs time to come to its full potential. The Tinto Fino is blended with just 5% Merlot. - Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter