1 1

Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5 Ribera del Duero Spain 2021

Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5 Ribera del Duero Spain 2021

HK$1,350
HK$1,350
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.
In Stock
Free Delivery
over HK$1000
HKQAA Certified
Cellar
Temp Controlled
Delivery

Ripe Blackberries, Sandalwood, Graphite, and Five-Year Ribera Aristocracy

The 2021 Bodegas Vega Sicilia "Valbuena 5°" is a monumental, benchmark Ribera del Duero crafted from old-vine Tinto Fino with a touch of Merlot. Aged for a signature five years between wood and bottle, it unleashes aromas of black cherries, violets, cocoa powder, cedar, and graphite. Full-bodied, seamless, and crystalline, it balances deep fruit intensity with fine, sculpted tannins and energetic natural freshness, finishing with noble length and savory elegance.
View full details
Explore more from Vega Sicilia

Style Profile at a Glance

Attribute Profile Scale
Body Full-Bodied, Velvety & Layered ●●●●●
Sweetness Dry ●●●●●
Tannins Architectural, Fine-Grained & Polished ●●●●●
Acidity Fresh, Balanced & Tensile ●●●●●
Oak Seamlessly Integrated (5-year aging in French/American barrels & large vats) ●●●●●

Terroir, History & Acclaim

Critical Recognition:
Wine Advocate 96 pts
James Suckling 98 pts
  • 96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 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.
  • 98 Points - James Suckling: 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 Vega Sicilia Estate Terroir: Located in Valbuena de Duero along the northern banks of the Duero River. Sourced from gently sloping alluvial and colluvial terraces where limestone gravel sits over deep clay and sand, benefiting from high elevation (over 750m) and dramatic diurnal shifts that preserve lively acidity and fine phenolic structure.
  • The Five-Year "5°" Elevage Tradition: Composed of roughly 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot. The wine undergoes Vega Sicilia’s signature five-year aging journey: starting in French and American oak barriques (both new and seasoned), moving to large neutral wood vats, and concluding with prolonged bottle conditioning prior to release to capture pure primary elegance without overt tertiary heaviness.

Highlights

  • Flagship single-estate red from Bodegas Vega Sicilia, crafted from 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot.
  • Subject to Vega Sicilia’s legendary five-year maturation cycle across oak barriques, large vats, and bottles.
  • From the historic, cool-toned 2021 vintage; built for 20 to 30+ years of graceful evolution.

Tasting Notes

Deep, luminous ruby-purple in color, it opens with pure, commanding aromas of ripe blackberries, black cherries, and fresh violet petals, intertwined with high-quality sandalwood, graphite, cocoa powder, and subtle cedar spice. The palate is full-bodied, multi-dimensional, and impeccably balanced, layering concentrated dark fruit over a massive yet ultra-refined framework of silky tannins and vibrant natural acidity, concluding on a soaring, persistent, and graphite-drenched finish.

Serving Suggestion

  • Temperature: Serve at 16–18°C in large Bordeaux glassware.
  • Decanting: Decant for 1.5 to 2 hours if opening in its youth. Prime drinking window 2027 through 2045+.

You May Also Like