Vega Sicilia "Valbuena 5º" Tinto Ribera del Duero DO 2021 - 1.5L Magnum -
(Castilla Leon, Spain) - [JS 98] [WA 96] [WS 94]

About the Winery:
Founded in 1864 in Ribera Del Duero, Vega Sicilia is a widely regarded as one of the greatest wine producer in the world. Celebrated for its fusion of tradition and modernity, the estate embodies the values of excellence, patience and respect for the land where its extraordinary wines come from.

Adopted by the Álvarez family in 1982, the winery is committed to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. With a focus on the Tempranillo grape, locally known as “tinto fino,” Vega Sicilia’s vineyards span 250 hectares, cultivating vines that are a minimum of 10 years old on schistous bedrock and chalk-based topsoil. The winery takes pride in its patient approach to winemaking, allowing some labels to age over 10 years, and boasts a state-of-the-art facility that adheres to international environmental standards, including advanced recycling and repurposing practices.

About this Wine: 
Valbuena 5º, crafted by the esteemed Vega Sicilia estate, is a red wine celebrated for its meticulous five-year maturation process, split between barrel and bottle. This wine, predominantly composed of Tinto Fino with a touch of Merlot, is known for its mature, juicy, and voluptuous character, embodying harmony and tension developed through its unique aging method. With vineyards averaging 36 years of age and spanning 210 hectares, Valbuena 5º is a testament to the winery's dedication to quality, yielding a limited production that promises a storied evolution for up to 25 years under optimal storage conditions. 

The Valbuena Tempranillo is obtained from plots located on gentle concave slopes that descend from the wasteland. Those soils are made up 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.

Valbuena provides us with a direct and understandable view of the greatness of this "terroir" with the direct influence of each vintage. Its production remains unchanged meaning that it is each year's weather factors that mark the differences between the different harvests.

Fermentation at a controlled temperature with native yeast in stainless steel tanks. Malolactic fermentation also takes place in stainless steel.

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.

Ratings & Reviews

98 Points - James Suckling:
"One of the finest Valbuenas available, showcasing great depth, structure and detail while remaining polished. It exhibits notes of blackberries, cocoa powder, graphite, and high-quality sandalwood, with hints of lard and violets. The standout feature this year is the quantity and quality of the tannins—huge, yet incredibly refined and polished. There are plenty of fine grits that aren’t fully integrated but should harmonize in two to three years. Exceptionally long finish. Will hold effortlessly for the next 20 years." (Sep 2025)

96 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2021 Valbuena comes from a year with pristine grapes, good ripeness and balance, for them one of their finest years when they didn't have to rush and everything happened in a smooth way. The year was marked by the snowstorm Filomena in January, which provided good water reserves, and the rest of the winter had temperatures reaching -15 degrees Celsius! This was a blend of 96% Tinto Fino (a.k.a. Tempranillo) and 4% Merlot aged in barrels and 8,500- and 21,000-liter oak vats during the first year and later only in oak vats. This is the youngest expression of the "Vega" nose, subtler and elegant, more insinuating, less developed and keeping some primary notes, not as tertiary as the Únicos. It comes in at 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3.85 and 4.65 grams of acidity, and it has a medium- to full-bodied palate, with elegant tannins and very good balance. This is one of the finest recent vintages for Valbuena, and in a way, it reminded me of the 2010, with elegance and precision. 2027-2039." – Luis Gutierrez (Jan 2026)

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A rich red in a supple frame, with generous flavors of plumped black cherry, sweet tobacco, herbed black olive, cocoa powder and licorice root animated by well-knit, plum skin acidity. Trimmed nicely by fine-grained, sculpted tannins, this expressive red drinks well today but will shine with cellaring. Tinto Fino and Merlot. Drink now through 2040. 14,740 cases made, 730 cases imported." - Alison Napjus (Jun 2026)