Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2019

95 points Wine Advocate

The obsession in 2019 was to avoid excess ripeness and to keep the freshness, so they did a softer vinification, used larger vats for the élevage and used less American wood. The 2019 Valbuena was produced with a blend of Tinto Fino with 3% Merlot. It has 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.88 and 4.6 grams of acidity. I love the nose; it is perfumed and subtle. And the wine is beautifully textured; the tannins are very fine, silky even, quite different from the tannins from the other 2019s from the group that I tasted next to this, Macán and Pintia. A triumph over the conditions of the year, it's a more elegant Valbuena than I anticipated.

93 points Wine Spectator

There's a quiet power to this polished red, with sculpted, chalky tannins enmeshed in a graceful range of ripe black plum and black cherry flavors, plus accents of Earl Grey tea, violet and cigar box. Long and silky, with a vibrant, well-spiced finish. Tinto Fino and Merlot. Drink now through 2035. 16,965 cases made, 1,578 cases imported.

97 points James Suckling

Extremely perfumed with violets and a bouquet of flowers. Then there’s blue fruits such as blueberries and raspberries. Medium-bodied with beautifully crafted tannins that give a superb mouthfeel and finesse. Refinement with depth and focus. So wonderful to drink now but it will be even better in four or five years. Try in 2027.