Vega Sicilia Valbuena 2007

Dried cherry, Cuban tobacco and mocha lead the nose, with threads of smoke and pressed flowers adding quiet complexity. Supple and generous in the mouth, sweet red fruit and dark berry carrying a pastille-like richness through a long, smooth finish. The tannins are dusty and fine-grained, providing shape without any sense of austerity. Not the most powerful Valbuena on record, but for a challenging vintage this is a confident, well-balanced wine with genuine depth. Approachable now, though patience will be rewarded.