Vega Sicilia Valbuena 2009

Dark, brooding ruby. Smoky black cherry, cassis, dried flowers and iron-edged minerality, with cedar and mocha threaded through from French and American oak aging, present but not overbearing. Predominantly Tempranillo with a touch of Merlot, and the variety shows in the wine's structural confidence: firm, youthful tannins grip the mid-palate, anchoring a core of ripe dark fruit that keeps austerity at bay. The finish is long and spiced, with lingering smoke and grip that signal this needs more time than it's had. There's a great deal compressed here, still tightly wound and unwilling to give everything up. Drink 2018–2030.