The changing face of Vega Sicilia Valbuena

This is a pale, delicate garnet in colour, showing something of its 23 years. In the mouth it's complex and mature, but still with fleshy redcurrant fruit and notes of spicy ginger and dried herbs. A light, savoury rasp of tannin lends some structure.

2007 was another complicated year, with a notably cool and dry summer. Selection was necessary to avoid any green notes in the blend, which this year had 10% Merlot rather than the 5% which has since become the norm. Fine cedar smoke and floral aromas lead into bright, crisp, redcurrant flesh. It's elegant and poised, if lacking the density of later vintages.

‘Complicated’ was the original verdict for the 2008 vintage. A late frost on 1 May led Vega Sicilia to subsequently use fan heaters, and this was followed by an unusually cold summer. Nevertheless, with bottle age the result today is a wine with a bold, dark heart laden with spicy tobacco and wild herb notes. A line of kumquat citric freshness finishes it off, setting it apart from the plush exuberance of the 2011 and 2006.

By no means a second wine to Unico, but a first wine in its own style. Concentrated, complex and pure Ribera del Duero.

2010 was the first vintage made in the new winery and, following a soil study, Vega Sicilia were able to vinify plot by plot. Both of these factors contributed to an exceptional Valbuena that's darkly aromatic with notes of cedar and redcurrants. In the mouth, by contrast, it's surprisingly delicate, fresh and textured with fine-grained tannins. Dark cherry builds to peppery spice and a savoury edge. A widely acclaimed vintage.

2011 was an excellent vintage, with the spring cycle starting earlier and culminating in a long, slow ripening period before harvest. The result is a generously aromatic wine – all blue and black fruits with top notes of fennel and cedar – and in the mouth it's just as generous, and gloriously dense. Plush fruits evolve an intriguing spiciness, with a silky texture, finely balanced tannins and a long, elegant finish.

The 2012 Valbuena is a stripling, but is already showing real charm. This is a particularly interesting vintage, as the Merlot which usually forms part of the blend is absent due to crop failure. Despite this, there’s nothing missing, not even for the most exacting of Vega enthusiasts. Aromatically, the wine is very elegant with violets and roses overlaying the red fruit and notes of cedar. The palate is long and pure, lifted by well balanced acidity. The tannins are still young and firm and naturally need more time. The finish is very long, with a mocha richness. 100% Tinto Fino. Aged for five years in new and used French and American barrels and 20,000 litre vats.

This is aromatically pure, with roses, fresh herbs and fine cedar. Initially subdued in the mouth, it blossoms into a vivid freshness, then powers through to a heart of dark tannin and black fruit. It's a brooding style, full of character, with finely handled oak and a keynote thread of freshness.