Vega Sicilia Valbuena 2004

Red cherry, dried rose, cedar and tobacco leaf, Valbuena 2004 opens with an opulent, almost perfumed generosity that sets it apart from the sterner faces of Ribera del Duero. Ripe fruit on the mid-palate carries a lush, near-confected sweetness, anchored by licorice and a deep mineral thread that holds the whole thing together. Given air, the floral and tobacco elements knit seamlessly into a finish of serious length. Seductive and accessible now, yet the underlying architecture, firm, well-managed tannins and plenty of concentrated fruit, points to decades of further development. Drink now through 2040+.