Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2019, Ribera Del Duero DOC

Description

Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2019 is the purest expression of red wine produced by this iconic Ribera del Duero wine estate. The estate is located in the Province of Valladolid, Castile and León (northern Spain). Tinto Fino comprises the main component of the blend, the other is Merlot. The proportion varies from vintage to vintage.

Vega Sicilia traces its origins back to 1864 when was established by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who planted various grapes varieties from the Bordeaux wine region of France, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The estate has been owned since 1982 by the Álvarez family. 1982 was the year that Ribera del Duero was granted Denominación de Origen (DO) status and it is the Alvarez family who have turned Vega Sicilia into one of the world’s iconic wines. The estate comprises 1000 hectares with some 210 under vine. There are 19 soil types divided into 55 plots with very specific characteristics. The influence of the River Duero’s flow and the passage of time have been vital in developing these soils.

The Tempranillo grapes for the Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° are sourced from vineyards situated on soils composed of material that was eroded and accumulated as colluvial on the lower slopes, developing a high profile soil, with a specific important evolution with the formation of a deep calcic horizon. The grapes are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel  using native yeasts. Malolactic fermentation also takes place in stainless steel.

Extraction was gentle and part of the wine was matured in oak vats during the first year of ageing. After fermentation, it is aged for five years, between wood and in the bottle, which is why it is called Valbuena 5º. French and American wood, new and used 225-litre barrels, 20,000 litre vats, a long and complex process for a great wine.

For this vintage, the presence of American oak was reduced in favour of French oak, with a preference for light toast. The wine was transferred to vats for the second year of maturation to build complexity and texture. 

The Vintage

The previous cycle ended with a warmer-than-average minimum temperature, which led the canes to develop well. During the spring, average temperatures and adequate rainfall facilitated successful budding in the latter part of April without any frost concerns. The overall annual rainfall was below average.

Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5º 2019 is both succulent and muscular, taut and delicate. Expressive, elegant, lively and profound.

A blend of 97% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 3% Merlot