2004 Valbuena, Bodegas Vega Sicilia

After tasting the 2002 recently this vintage had a lot to stand up to… and didn’t disappoint. The nose was very different compared to the two wines above: it was subtle and had more finesse. The palate oozed appeal; powerful fruit, spice, tobacco, leather and somewhere amongst it all something almost minty. The finish was just so elegant. One for the cellar, Javier Ausas reckons it’s easily good for 10-15 years.

The saturated purple 2004 Valbuena offers up an expressive perfume of mineral, scorched earth, espresso, incense, and black cherry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, intensely flavored, spicy wine with layers of fruit, soft tannins, and a pure, lengthy finish. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of bottle age and offer optimal drinking from 2015 to 2029.
(Jay Miller - Wine Advocate - Jun-2009)