Vega Sicilia’s Valbuena 5º 2021 is the estate’s “second wine” from Ribera del Duero, built on Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) with a small Merlot component. In 2021 it’s a 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Merlot blend, released only after extended élevage. Luis Gutiérrez (Robert Parker’s *Wine Advocate*) reports it was “aged in barrels and 8,500- and 21,000-liter oak vats during the first year and later only in oak vats,” and bottled in May 2024. He also notes key technical details: 14% alcohol, pH 3.85, and 4.65 grams of acidity.

The vintage conditions sound unusually favorable. Gutiérrez calls 2021 a year of “pristine grapes, good ripeness and balance,” shaped in part by the January snowstorm Filomena and winter lows reaching “-15 degrees Celsius.” He describes Valbuena as “the youngest expression of the ‘Vega’ nose,” with a profile that is “subtler and elegant… keeping some primary notes,” and he rates it an excellent 96 points, adding, “This is one of the finest recent vintages for Valbuena.”

James Suckling’s 98-point review is the standout score and frames the wine as “one of the finest Valbuenas available,” citing “great depth, structure and detail while remaining polished.” He highlights blackberries, cocoa powder, graphite and “high-quality sandalwood,” plus “hints of lard and violets.” Suckling’s central point is structure: “huge, yet incredibly refined and polished” tannins, with an “exceptionally long finish,” projecting it to “hold effortlessly for the next 20 years.”

Wine Spectator (94 points) emphasizes immediate drinkability, calling it “a rich red in a supple frame,” with “plumped black cherry, sweet tobacco… cocoa powder and licorice root,” “trimmed nicely by fine-grained, sculpted tannins.” Its suggested window—“Drink now through 2040”—aligns with the critics’ view: generous now, but built to age.

Production was substantial: 176,876 bottles (plus 5,566 magnums), according to *Wine Advocate*.