×
This wine is currently unavailable, the vintages 2019 and 2014 and 2009 and 2005 and 2003 are available

Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Valbuena 5° 2010 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
WA
96
JS
96
VM
95
WE
94
DC
93
Additional vintages
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
Since the 2010 harvest, they ferment plot by plot, and it shows. This Valbuena has almost 100 components in it, smaller lots, all of them corresponding to a plot of vines. It has all the signs of being one of the best vintages ever for this second wine from Vega Sicilia, mostly Tempranillo but with 5% Merlot that matured five months in 20,000-liter oak vats, 18 months in new barriques (equal parts French and American oak), three months in used barrels and then five months in the vats again before being bottled in May 2013. 2010 seems to have the exuberance of the 2011 and the seriousness and elegance of 2009. It has the Burgundian philosophy of terroir, with all plots fermented and aged separately, giving each vineyard what it needs in terms of vinification and elevage resulting in something like 40 separate lots to blend. This wine has gained in precision and sharpness, and is very pure with delineated aromas and flavors. It is a world-class wine, possibly the best Valbuena ever. 180,000 bottles and some bigger-sized formats were filled. The wine will be released in 2015. Drink 2016-2025. I tasted the latest three vintages of Valbuena, to get up to speed with what’s in the market. If there’s a wine in their collection that has seen a huge improvement since 1998, it is Valbuena, which had been kind of neglected since the launch of Alion in the early 1990s. For Valbuena, they do not want a second wine in the Bordeaux style. But with the competitive Alion breathing down its neck and the pressure of its big brother, it felt a bit out of place. So they decided to look back at the vineyards: they studied the soils and saw why Unico and Valbuena had been (empirically) produced from separated plots. ... More details
Image of bottle
Sample image only. Please see Item description for product Information. When ordering the item shipped will match the product listing if there are any discrepancies. Do not order solely on the label if you feel it does not match product description

Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Valbuena 5° 2010 750ml

SKU 879513
Out of Stock
More wines available from Vega Sicilia
Long-term Pre-Arrival
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $1726.64
The 1998 Unico is purple-colored with a complex bouquet of wood smoke, violets, Asian spices, mineral, blueberry, and...
WA
98
Long-term Pre-Arrival
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $1504.54
The 1999 Unico delivers an ethereal bouquet of smoke, pencil lead, violets, leather, incense, black cherry, and...
WA
95
WS
94
Long-term Pre-Arrival
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $470.46
In the absence of a 2001 Unico, Vega Sicilia has re-released the 2000 Unico which I reviewed in Issue 189. The 2000...
WA
98
WS
92
Long-term Pre-Arrival
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $769.39
It is the Vega Sicilia flagship. The qualities of the Tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon in different proportions are...
Long-term Pre-Arrival
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $372.61
Lightly baked and hinting at raisin and fine herbs, the bouquet on this benchmark Spanish red enfolds aromas of...
WE
98
DC
97
More Details
Winery Vega Sicilia
barrel

Vintage: 2010

2010 saw extremely high quality viticulture in many parts of the world, with an exceptionally long and hot summer providing huge benefits for wineries across many countries, especially in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere and Europe saw something of a cooler summer and flowering period, but this was by no means as disastrous as it could have been. France, especially, had a fantastic year in 2010, with the world renowned Burgundy region proclaiming that their white wines of this year are ones to look out for, and despite yields being relatively small across much of the country, the quality was exceptionally high. Spain, too, received some cooler weather, but Rioja and the rest of central Spain are hailing 2010 as a very good year indeed, again as a result of smaller, finer yields. California also received similar climatic conditions, but again, wineries are highly positive about the overall effect this had on their produce, as the slightly challenging conditions resulted in smaller yields of much elegance and distinction. 2010 was really Australia's year, and in South Australia and across the Mornington Peninsula, Chardonnay vines produced good yields with a lower sugar level than in previous years. As such, the majority of South Australian white wines from 2010 are superb, and packed full of character. Shiraz also had a great year, and most Australian wineries have been proclaiming 2010 one of the great vintages. Both the Argentinian and Chilean wine industries benefited from some ideal climatic conditions this year, and are reportedly ecstatically pleased with the fact that their 2010 wines ended up with lower alcohol levels, and were beautifully balanced wines packed full of flavor.
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

The Tempranillo grape varietal is often referred to as Spain's 'noble grape', and has over the past century been planted in several countries around the world. Tempranillo grapes produce beautiful ruby red wines, packed full of fascinating flavors which range from intensely fruity, to deep, dark and spicy, holding notes of vanilla, tobacco and leather. Their black skins hold plenty of tannins, and as such, they are often blended with other more rounded or brighter wines, to balance out the character and produce some truly exceptional examples. Tempranillo grapes often fall to a wide range of diseases, and are greatly effected by climatic conditions. They tend to grow best, however, in areas with a mixture of heat and bright sunshine, and brisk breezes which can cool the vines.
barrel

Region: Castilla Y Leon

Castilla y Leon is one of the oldest wine regions in Europe, and is a fascinating area for those passionate about the finest Spanish wines. For centuries, Castilla y Leon has attracted attention, due to its fascinating history, stunning architecture and interesting food and wine traditions. The vast plain of Castilla y Leon has developed a culture which is all its own, and the wines which have been made for centuries in the historic wineries of the region do all they can to reflect this. As such, many of the most distinctively 'Spanish' wines of the country hail from this region, including those made with classic Spanish grapes, such as the robust and spicy Tempranillo, or the more fruity, aromatic white Verdejo and Viura varietals.
fields

Country: Spain

Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.