Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2020

Cellar for up to 30 years. Decant for 2 hours before serving. Vega Sicilia is a centuries-old estate in the heart of Ribera Del Duero, acquired by the Álvarez family in 1982. Their vineyards are primarily concerned with the cultivation of bold red grapes, with Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines making up the vast majority of the estate’s 220 hectares. Valbuena is one of the most prestigious names for red wine in Spain and is widely considered to be among the best and most pure expressions of Tempranillo in Castilla - in spite of the fact that it contains a splash of Merlot. The 5 in the name indicates the number of years this wine spent ageing before release. Longer, even, than the finest bottles of Rioja Gran Reserva Valbuena 5 is a vivid, bloody red in the glass, exuding thick scents of cherry, plum and ripe forest berries. It spent the first year of its five-year ageing process in a mixture of French and American oak barrels, before being transferred to tuns to develop its subtle character. On the palate, you can discover deep notes of plum jam and black cherry, weighed against hints of sage, basil and spice. Time will reveal further complexities, and this fine wine can be laid down for up to 3 decades. Consider pairing it with a decadent piece of red meat, or Spanish charcuterie.