Don’t let the "second wine" label fool you. Valbuena 5° is a powerhouse in its own right. While its big brother, Unico, spends a decade or more in the cellar, Valbuena is released after exactly five years (hence the name). It’s the wine the estate uses to show off the true, concentrated soul of their Tempranillo grapes without the heavy mask of extreme age.Valbuena, is the purest expression of the Tinto Fino grape (Tempranillo) in Vega Sicilia. Whilst Tinto Fino is the predominant variety in the assemblage of Valbuena a portion of Merlot is also added into the wine, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the vintage. After fermentation, Valbuena is aged over five winters in barrel then bottle, which is why it is called Valbuena 5º. The crucial first year of ageing takes place in barrel, with 75% French oak and 25% American oak. In this first stage, the aim is to amplify the wine’s structure, sense of sweetness and density. The second year of ageing takes place in large wooden vats and, during this stage, it gains elegance, complexity, tension and subtlety. [#intro]Aged over 5 winters Valbuena 5º is the purest expression of red wine at Vega Sicilia...[/intro]