Tempos Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2014

Professional Ratings

• 96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2014 Valbuena, mostly Tempranillo with some 5% Merlot fermented by plot, making a selection from their 210 hectares of vineyards, and then matured in a combination of barriques and larger 20,000-liter oak vats. 2014 is a spectacular vintage of Valbuena, and it reminds me of the 2010, perhaps a tad more elegant and less powerful. It's expressive and has floral notes on the nose along with wild berries, herbs and a spicy and smoky touch that's nicely integrated. It has good complexity and nuance, and the palate is medium to full-bodied and intense, with pungent flavors and great length and persistence. Truly spectacular! 184,684 bottles, 5,578 magnums and some large formats produced. It was bottled in June 2016.
• 96 James Suckling
  The ripeness is impressive here. A lot of work was done in the vineyard in 2014 to get yields right. It delivers darker fruit aromas and flavors, black cherries and plums, dark chocolate and licorice. The palate is deeply fleshy with rich blueberries, cassis and dark roasting herbs. Very deep-set, powerful black fruit with a deeper tannin texture. The power and freshness here is extraordinary. Deeply layered. Superb.
• 94 Decanter
  After 12 months in 70% French and 30% American barriques, this 2014 underwent a pre-blend prior to 16 months in large-format vats. The wine was then blended again before bottling. It's an excellent vintage: very expressive with echoes of fruit amid the cedar and smoke aromatics. The palate is plummy and powerful, driving through to a memorably long finish, with notes of peppery spice and underlying firm tannins.
• 94 Wine Enthusiast

  Cuddly berry aromas include a hint of raisin. The palate echoes the nose, meaning this is full and ripe, with smooth tannins supporting raisiny softness. Cassis, exotic spice notes and baked berry flavors are lush on the finish. This seems ready for near-term drinking; enjoy now through 2030.

• 93 Wine Spectator
  This solid red delivers ripe fruit, toasty oak, lively acidity and well-integrated tannins. Currant and blackberry flavors mingle with espresso, black olive and loamy earth notes. Harmonious, in the modern style. Tinto Fino and Merlot.