- Colour
- Red
- Producer
- Bodegas Vega Sicilia
- Region
- Ribera del Duero
- Grape
- Tempranillo / Cabernet Sauvignon
- Drinking
- 2029 - 2042
- Case size
- 1x150cl
- Available Now
2016 VALBUENA 5 RIBERA DEL DUERO BODEGAS VEGA SICILIA - 1x150cl
- Colour
- Red
- Producer
- Bodegas Vega Sicilia
- Region
- Ribera del Duero
- Grape
- Tempranillo / Cabernet Sauvignon
- Drinking
- 2029 - 2042
- Case size
- 1x150cl
- Available Now
- Pricing
- Retail
- In Bond
- Pricing Info
Need help? Call +44 (0)20 7793 7900 or email wine@goedhuis.com.
Tasting Notes
-
James Suckling, October 2020,
Score: 95Gorgeous 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.
-
Josh Raynolds, February 2021,
Score: 95Dark violet. Powerful red and dark fruit preserve, pipe tobacco and potpourri aromas are complemented by exotic spice, mocha and incense flourishes. Sappy and energetic in character, offering palate-staining blackberry, cherry liqueur, floral pastille and spicecake flavors underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Gently chewy tannins build steadily on an impressively long, focused and penetrating finish that leaves smoky mineral, floral and juicy dark berry notes behind. Drink 2027 - 2038
-
Jancis Robinson, July 2020,
Score: 18This vintage is a little more elegant compared with 2015. It is a subtler wine, much more forest floor, nails and cedar wood. A more structured vintage, but equally delicious. It is a very balanced wine, more serene than the previous year. A bucolic vintage, with a clear impact of provençal herbs at the back palate. A round and elegant vintage for more immediate consumption than 2015.
-
Luis Gutierrez, June 2021,
Score: 96This 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.
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Producer
Bodegas Vega Sicilia

Established in the 1860s, Vega Sicilia were the first to plant vineyards in the north central region of Ribera del Duero, a plateau that is known for its dry, sunny weather and cool nights. The combination of their traditional winemaking style, their exceptional terroir and respect for high quality has garnished them a place amongst the greatest wine estates in the world. Part of their uniqueness is imparted in their vinification/ageing methods. Fermented and aged in wooden vats, Único is then transferred into new barrels of both American and French origin before being furthered aged in older (and predominantly American) oak barrels and then finished in 180 HL wooden vats before being bottled. The total ageing time is between 6 - 9 years in both wood and bottle. This requires a huge investment in both time, dedication and money. Since 1982, the estate has been owned by the Álvarez family. They have been instrumental in guaranteeing their wines' high quality and reputation. In addition to their original estate, Vega Sicilia also own Alión, another Ribera del Duero, and Pintia, a top Toro, both of which are made with more modern methods (and with 100% tempranillo) though they still remain elegant and pure.
Region
Ribera del Duero
The Duero valley cuts a swathe across central northern Spain all the way to Portugal where it is called the Douro and is famous as the home of port. On the Spanish side, a relatively new but significant and exciting area for wine production has grown up around the city of Valladolid and was granted DO status in 1982. Ribera del Duero's potential was spotted long before in the middle of the 19th century at Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Spain's undisputed equivalent of a first growth Claret. High above sea-level, Ribera del Duero is an area of extreme temperatures with the potential to produce deep-coloured, intensely flavoured red wines from tempranillo grapes (known locally as tinto fino). The picture is not straightforward as some producers have started favouring an overly-extracted style which appeals to certain elements of the media. Additionally, often producers do not own their own vineyards, so the grape growers have a stranglehold on what to charge for their grapes and wine prices have risen dramatically as a result. However, many producers are making outstanding wines, which are still great value for money.