2006 Valbuena No 5
Buying options
Tasting Notes
The 2006 Único has always been a bit of a mystery to me, as I always felt it transcended the vintage character, and this magnum was not an exception. 2006 was very warm, but the wine remains fresh and has a moderate 14% alcohol. It has some grainy tannins, but it's really very good. 2,552 magnums were filled in June 2012. Artwork by Antoni Tàpies.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Jay S Miller, Wine Advocate
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Hot vintage, early harvest. Rich, sweet spices. Succulent black fruit, refined and chocolatey. Still very tight tannins on the palate, which leaves a chewy grip on the length – certainly more life left here. Long black-tea herbiness on the finish, and a smoky scent too.
The 2006 Valbuena is a blend of 80% Tempranillo with 20% Merlot and Malbec. It has great volume and intensity on the nose, yet it is never overbearing. Fragrant aromas of maraschino, dark plum and orange peel are extremely pure and upon further examination, there is an attractive seam of minerality. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple, citrus-fresh entry. Crisp delineation, edgy dark cherry and cassis flavors intermingled with sour lemon that leads to a very assertive, angular finish. It will require two or three years to smooth out the edges but it will be fascinating to plot its evolution.
Deep ruby. Heady, exotic bouquet evokes candied cherry, cassis, sassafras, vanilla and potpourri, plus a smoky overtone. Sappy and expansive but energetic, offering sweet cherry and floral pastille flavors lifted by spice and mineral notes. Gains sweetness with air and finishes with superb clarity and spicy persistence. This benefits enormously from aeration but really should be stashed away for at least another five years.
About the producer
Vega Sicilia is undoubtably Spain’s most famous winery; a true icon in fine wine with a history dating back to 1864.