When it comes to wines from Spain, 'Ribera del Duero' is one of our favorite wine regions and when you think of 'Ribera del Duero', Vega Sicilia is the first name that comes to mind as this is one of the most amazing wineries in that region. Just like when one thinks about one of the best perpetual calendars in the market and the first name name that comes to mind is Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Vega Sicilia Tinto 'Valbuena' 5° vintage 2007 is an spectacular wine mainly made from 'Tempranillo', Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and it is one of the best examples of what great wines are supposed to taste, smell and look like. Vega Sicilia is without a doubt the best and most refined wine made in Spain. In 1864, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery that symbolizes the golden legend of Spanish red wine. Throughout its long history, it has belonged to different owners, although it has always maintained an unquestionable personality, making concentrated, mature, generous and extremely elegant.
Vega Sicilia only makes three different wines under the Vega Sicilia winery brand name: 'Valbuena' 5°, 'Reserva Especial' —with no vintage as this is a blend of different vintages— and 'Único'. Vega Sicilia is also the owner of Pintia, Alion —often called the poor man's Vega Sicilia— and Tokaj Oremus which are not sold under the Vega Sicilia name; however, they still happen to also be some of the best wines in the world.
Bodegas Vega Sicilia is located in the town of Valbuena de Duero between Peñafiel and Valladolid in the wine region of Ribera del Duero in Spain. Since 1982, the company is owned by the Alvaréz family. What makes this wine so unique and well balanced, is the aging process. For the 'Valbuena' 5°, the duration of the aging process in wood is three and a half years and during this time, the wine is rotated form new casks to heavily used American oak casks with the only goal in mind of obtaining the perfect balance between the wine and the wood. Once this has been achieved, the wines finally rest in large wooden vats, which prepares them for later bottling to then end their journey with a calm rest in the bottle in specially acclimatised installations. The time they remain there, depends on the format of the bottle: Vega Sicilia 'Único' —750ml bottle— takes three years or more to age in the bottle, while for the 'Valbuena 5°, the period for aging in the bottle is around a year and a half.
Considering the time that it takes for a certain vintage to make it to the stores you are guaranteed a wine with certain level of maturity and perfection that will be ready to be drank. Now, when it comes to Vega Sicilia wines in the U.S., be prepared to look for it as hard as you can as this winery has a very limited production and only 100 stores carry it in the country.
This wine is characterized for its strong notes of black cherry and oak on the palate and a superb delicate finish with almost no acidity or alcoholic taste on the throat. Best paired with some 'Ibérico' ham, lamb or venison.
Sticker Price $180-230 USD. For more info on Jaeger-LeCoultre click here and for Vega Sicilia here.
