Description / Reviews
// 97% Tinto Fino, 3% Merlot between 720m and 930m above sea level on a limestone marl soil. For the first year of ageing, barrels (80% French, 20% American). For the second year, 6,000- and 9,000-litre foudres. 6 months in stainless steel for blending and 30 months of resting in the bottle.
"Valbuena 5º is Vega Sicilia's purest red wine expression. Its ageing, five years in oak and bottle, gives the wine its name: Valbuena 5º. Two extraordinary events marked 2020, a year we will never forget. On the one hand, Covid forced us to adapt to the new circumstances and introduce protective measures we had never needed before, but it also strengthened our team spirit enormously. On the other hand, the heavy rainfall before the harvest changed our forecasts. In this vintage it was essential to be vigilant in the vineyard, tasting and monitoring the grapes to check their concentration after the dilution caused by the rain. Valbuena 5º 2020 is a more ethereal, elegant and subtle expression. Delicate, but also rich and profound. A real pleasure." - Vega Sicilia, Winemaker
"Valbuena 5 used to be the baby Unico, and nowadays it is more like its younger brother with a lot of resemblance and just a bit less depth and tannins. Valbuena 5 comes from younger vines and sometimes different parcels from Unico. On the palate, this is more open and linear, while Unico is more profound and vertical. Notes of iron, blackberries, cedar, minerals and cocoa powder. Medium- to full-bodied with melted tannins and a long, long finish. Drinkable from 2025, but will hold for years." - 96 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling
"Produced with a selection form the more ethereal parcels that don’t deliver the power sought for Unico, Valbuena 5º is however much more than a younger sibling of the iconic wine. The 2020 vintage, a child of a challenging growing season, both due to natural and operational challenges (remember Covid?…), it is a great achievement of nuanced power and detailed complexity, with a luscious fruit core lined with oregano, dried sage and thyme. Dark chocolate and roasted coffee beans build a broody background layer while Assam and Oolong tea leaves add umami depth. Beautiful detail and depth to the tannins." 96 points, Ines Salpico, Decanter
"It has been a year in which the vineyard gave less concentration, so the oenological work is impressive because the wine shows intensity, the presence of ripe black fruit and tannin that is sweet in the mid palate but ends up being drier on the finish. Very ripe black fruit and a touch of violet stand out. Little oak impact for the Valbuena style. This is one of the most tactile vintages and still has many years ahead of it. Dense texture, powerful, and still very primary for the average Valbuena." - 17.5/20, Ferran Centelles, Jancis Robinson
"The 2020 Valbuena 5º is Tinta del País from Ribera del Duero. Balsamic and herbal aromas mingle with forest, red fruit, cherry, violet and a hint of apple peel on the nose. The palate is intense, with a velvety texture, moderate concentration and enveloping flow. Chalky tannins and a touch of creaminess define the structure. Ample and richly flavored, with subtle oak in the background. A fine example of elegant Ribera." - 95 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous
