2011 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5

Cool vintage. Candied bramble fruits on the nose. Intense but soft-edged tannins with liquorice and aniseed on the palate. Brooding and intense. Touches of tar and granite – this is quite a formidable flavour, with a long road ahead of it. (RH)

Inky ruby. Sexy, high-pitched dark berry and floral pastille aromas are complemented by suggestions of oak spices and smoky minerals. Shows a surprisingly light touch on the palate, offering sharply focused blackberry, bitter cherry, licorice candy and floral pastille flavors that deepen and become sweeter with air. Harmonious tannins add grip to the extremely long, sappy finish, which leaves behind notes of dark berry preserves and candied lavender.

5º = released 5th year after harvest. 100% Tinto Fino. Aged 5 months in large wooden barrels, 18 months in new French/US oak, 3 months in used casks, then 5 months in vats before bottling. The colour of elderberry juice. Spice, sweet tobacco and dark dark fruit that has both fruit and savoury qualities. Starting to release its elegant aromas even though on the palate it is dark, dry and refined. Paper fine and yet compact tannins, depth from very fine layers. Youthful but already sophisticated. (JH)