2016 Vega Sicilia, Valbuena 5.°, Ribera del Duero

Komplexes Bukett mit Noten von ­reifer Pflaume und Brombeere. Dazu Anklänge von Cassis, roter Ribisel und dunklen Trockenfrüchten sowie Weichselkirsche. Hinzu gesellt sich eine feine, äußerst gut eingebundene Holzwürze. Noten von Karamell und schwarzem Pfeffer sowie ätherische Anklänge. Am Gaumen weicher, schmeichelnder Auftakt, frische ­dunkle Beerenfrucht, Kirsche, ­Heidelbeere, feinkörniges Tannin.

Color: cereza intenso;Aroma: fruta madura, hierbas secas, roble cremoso, fruta roja, expresión frutal;Boca: potente, fruta madura, especiado, taninos maduros;

The 2016 Valbuena was produced with a blend of 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot from 140 hectares dedicated to this wine. It fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the first year it matured in barrels (75% French, 25% American) and the second year in large oak vats. This is again a floral and elegant vintage of Valbuena, very much in line with what has happened in the best vintages since 2010. 2016 is going to be a wine that the public is going to like; it has an extroverted personality and is perfumed and generous, juicy and tasty and nicely textured, with fine-grained tannins and very focused and clean flavors. 2016 was a year of very good freshness in Ribera del Duero, a year they like even better than 2018. 182,882 bottles, 6,030 magnums and a few larger formats were produced. It was bottled in June 2019.

Tinto composto a partir de 96% T empranillo e 4% Merlot, com fermentação espontânea e estágio de 24 meses em uma combinação de barricas de 225 litros novas e usadas de carvalho francês (75%) e americano (25%) e tonéis, sendo de 5 anos o tempo total de maturação antes de sair ao mercado, entre passagem por madeira e estágio em garrafa. Sedutor nos aromas e franco nos sabores, mostra exuberantes notas florais, de ervas e de especiarias doces envolvendo suas frutas vermelhas e negras maduras no ponto certo, tudo apoiado por taninos firmes e de textura de giz e refrescante acidez. Fluido, preciso e refinado, tem final persistente, complexo e cativante, com toques redutivos, terrosos, de amoras, de cassis, de alcaçuz e de grafite. Mais uma excelente versão desse vinho. Está ótimo agora, mas tem tudo para ficar ainda melhor nas próximas décadas. Álcool 14.5%.

Gorgeous aromas of blackberries, black chocolate and shitake mushrooms follow through to a full body with round, plush tannins that are corduroy in texture. The flavors are intense, but not overdone. Drink now or hold.

Sweet, mellow and glorious for current drinking. Beautifully integrated. Compared with Vega Sicilia Único this is relatively GV . (JR)