Valbuena 5 2011 75cl

Extrem dunkel, fast schwarz in der Mitte. Das Bouquet ist sagenhaft und zeigt ganz viele Schichten und wirkt so parfümiert. Die Aromen schwanken von Cassis bis Pralinen, nicht überladen, sondern schon fast zärtlich und berührend. Harmonischer Gaumen, soft und komplex, viel reife Beeren, süss ausstrahlende Tannine, gegen die Mitte im Gaumen baut er Druck auf und dies verleiht ihm ein gebündeltes, langes Finale. Nach dem sagenhaften 2004er ist das einer der beste Valbuena seit langem. Ein Mega-Spain-Value! 19/20 trinken – 2028<br/><br/>Extremely dark color, almost black in den middle. The bouquet is amazing and shows many layers, very perfumed. The aromas vary from cassis all the way through to chocolates but it doesn’t seem overloaded it is rather tender and touching. Harmonious palate, soft and complex, lots of ripe berries, the tannins radiate sweetness and towards the middle of the palate it builds up pressure with gives it a bundled long finish. Since the 2004 vintage it’s one of the best Valbuena’s in a long time. A Mega- Spain- Value drink – 2028

The 2011 Valbuena was fermented plot by plot, something they started after a deep soil study in the 2010 vintage. 2011 was a very warm and ripe vintage in the zone, and the challenge was to keep the freshness. There are more black fruit aromas, subtle spices and hints of complexity, as well as tertiary aromas that are quite classic and turn more balsamic with time in the glass. Again, this is very different form the 2012 Alión, rounder, riper, richer, more polished, mellow, soft, quite exuberant and hedonistic. 170,000 bottles produced.<br/><br/>A couple of weeks before my appointment at Vega Sicilia, the big news broke: Javier Ausás, long time technical director at the Vega Sicilia group (recently renamed Tempos Vega Sicilia, a name that is a little pompous if you ask me), was leaving. A few days before I went, his replacement was named: Gonzalo Iturriaga. Who? That's exactly what everyone thought too! Iturriaga is an agricultural engineer with some experience in Ribera, one year in the early days of Alonso del Yerro, and then five years in Extremadura in charge of the wines of Habla, an ambitious project in a southwestern zone of Spain off the beaten track that didn't really take off. He spent his last five years selling yeasts and other oenological products for the French company Lamothe-Abiet, a CV that a priori looks a little poor for someone who is taking over the most prestigious winery from Spain. But let's give him time -- it will take a few years until we see any of his wines in the market -- and hope for the best.<br/>Other than that, they are releasing Único 2007 and 2008 before they sell 2005 and 2006, as the former are lighter vintages, and the latter are more powerful and require/benefit from some time in bottle. After tasting the wines, I followed the opened bottles and was a little worried to see that the wines showed plenty of oxidative aromas the day after, not what I expect for wines designed for a long and slow development in bottle.<br/><br/>

Flavors of black cherry, kirsch and orange peel mingle with anise, graphite and balsamic notes in this focused red. Firm, yet harmonious and energetic, in the traditional style. Drink now through 2026. 424 cases imported. –TM