BODEGAS Y VINEDOS VEGA SICILIA Tinto Valbuena 5 - Ribera del Duero 2012 Bottle

Description

Valbuena is the pure expression of red wine at Vega Sicilia, with an ageing process, from the barrel to the bottle, which lasts five years and gives the wine its name: Valbuena 5º (5th); On the palate, it delivers a deeply rich and velvety experience. Silky, polished tannins seamlessly integrate with harmonious flavours of dark fruit, cocoa, and toasted oak. The finish is exceptionally long and elegant, leaving a lingering, savoury impression of mature fruit and refined spice. A long and complex process for a great wine. Valbuena always stands its ground, whole, elegant and serious. A conquering wine. An opulent year, concentrated, impetuous and, without a doubt, a long journey.

Valbuena is the pure expression of red wine at Vega Sicilia, with an ageing process, from the barrel to the bottle, which lasts five years and gives the wine its name: Valbuena 5º (5th). Both new and used 225-litre barrels of French and American new and used wooden barrels, and 20,000-litre vats. A long and complex process for a great wine. Valbuena always stands its ground, whole, elegant and serious. A conquering wine. An opulent year, concentrated, impetuous and, without a doubt, a long journey.

After a somewhat dry winter, spring begins with moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall with a recorded 70.7 liters in the month of April (during the first phases of vine budding) continuing until early May. Temperatures began to rise the rest of the month with a recorded 42C on the 26th and 27th of June. Notable absence of spring frost which allowed an adequate vine development. Summer is very dry with no records of rain in July and only 0.5 liters in August, with high temperatures throughout the summer; late September rain helped a good end maturity process. An outstanding plant health, high color intensity and extremely mature tannins with good ageing potential. Excellent vintage.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrezte:
Drink: 2017 - 2027
The 2012 Valbuena was cropped from a vintage with a very dry and warm summer that resulted in very healthy grapes. Since the 2010 vintage, this wine is fermented plot by plot following the findings from a soils study they did. The élevage is in French and American oak barrels that on average lasts some 18 months followed by another 18 months in 20,000-liter oak vats, but of course some lots had more time in barrique and others more time in vat. It has ripe tannins and a powerful mouthfeel but with a soft texture. Even if it's not widely mentioned, it always has had some French grapes, mainly Merlot, but this 2012 is the first Valbuena ever to be really 100% Tempranillo—because the Merlot didn't behave well in this warm and dry year. It follows the path opened by the 2010, more precise and elegant, rounded by that extra time in larger vats to finish polishing the tannins. I find this 2012 halfway between 2010 and 2011. It has depth and elegance, more serious than Alión, which is always the (maybe unfair) comparison. 174,545 bottles and some larger formats were filled in April 2014.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
The depth and intensity to this wine is focused and rich with so much chocolate, coffee and hazelnut character. It is full bodied and very polished with juicy tannins. Light, angular edge. Better in 2019 but already beautiful