2017 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5º

Bodegas Vega Sicilia belongs to the absolute top ten of the wine world and has long been an icon of wine country Spain. Founded in 1864 and still very much alive, leading in quality and one of the most modern wineries in the country. This is partly due to the current owners, the Alvarez family, who bought Vega Sicilia in 1982 and since then, with relentless investments, in better and worse times, they have improved the quality of both the vineyard and the bodega. At the same time, they bought properties in Toro, Pintia and in Ribera del Duero, Alion.

2017 was marked by the frost of the night between April 27 and 28 that Vega Sicilia fought with their antifreeze towers. The end of the season was warm and there was little rain. The 2017 Valbuena is characterized by these conditions, produced with 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot, with good ripeness (14.5% alcohol) and soft acids (4.65 grams of tartaric acid and a pH of 3.85 ). The grapes were cooled and it took three to four days of maceration to start fermenting with native yeasts. The wine matured for almost three years in a combination of new and used 225 liter French and American oak barrels and 21,000 liter oak barrels. The result of the Vega Sicilia 2017 is nothing short of spectacular. The wine is perfumed, floral, expressive and balsamic as few vintages have shown. It doesn't feel like a 2017 at all; it is harmonious and the tannins are perfect. It is a great Valbuena that clearly transcends the character of the vintage.

Parker and suckling give this wine a whopping 96/100 points and Parker (Wine Advocate) writes in his review: ".....The result, for whatever reason, was nothing short of spectacular. What I see here is that since 2010 , the wine has a very high consistency. And in 2017 it excels"

The 2017 Valbuena, a red blend of mainly Tempranillo with about 6% Merlot, is released in the fifth year after the harvest. It's explosive and showy, with a complex nose that shows a mix of flowers and wild herbs, balsamic accents and great nuance. It fermented with native yeasts and matured in barrels (75% French, 25% American) the first year and large oak barrels the second. This is another floral and elegant vintage from Valbuena, very much in line with what has happened in the best vintages since 2010.

ABOUT THE BARRIQUES AT VEGA SICILIA

A large part of the wooden barriques used on the estate are manufactured in our own tonnellerie, mainly from American oak. The wood is dried for at least 3 years. Once the humidity has dropped below 12%, the matre-tonnelier gets to work. The élevage of the wines starts in January, first in large casks and then in new oak barrels. For the Valbuena it takes about 3.5 years. The Unico will have an élevage of at least 7 years. During the élevage period, the wines are kept in older barrels in order to find a perfect balance. Once that is found, they go back on large wooden foeders. After bottling, the Valbuena remains on the domain for at least another 1.5 years in perfect climatic conditions. The Unico will remain in the domain for at least 3 years and the large formats often much longer.