2004 Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5

Deep red. Exotic, highly perfumed aromas of raspberry, tobacco, potpourri and cedar, with a strong mineral overtone. Sweet cherry and red berry flavors are decadently sweet and complicated by notes of candied rose and licorice, with a mounting tobacco quality. Gains energy with air and finishes with sexy notes of floral pastilles and raspberry liqueur. Extremely sexy right now but I've no doubt that this will age for a very long time.

The saturated purple 2004 Valbuena offers up an expressive perfume of mineral, scorched earth, espresso, incense, and black cherry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, intensely flavored, spicy wine with layers of fruit, soft tannins, and a pure, lengthy finish. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of bottle age and offer optimal drinking from 2015 to 2029. One of the perquisites of reviewing Spanish wine is the opportunity to taste the wines of Vega Sicilia once a year. The Valbuena cuvee receives three years in barrel and two years in bottle prior to release. Importer: Christopher Cannan, Europvin; www.europvin.com

A pillow-talker: all suggestion and secrecy. Then a beefy body that lurks beneath, but the cassis fruit is there too, with leather and liquorice or perhaps medicine. The palate is marvellously balanced, but rather withheld – there is a ripe morello quality just peeping over the rim. Needs time. (RH)