1997 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5
Ribera del Duero, Spain
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- Most Recent Global Avg Price (ex-tax)
- $ 259 / 750ml
- From October 2025
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3.5 from 7 User Ratings
- 9 Critic Reviews
- Style Red - Rich and Intense
- Grape Variety Tempranillo
- Food Pairing Beef and Venison
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Critic tasting note: (1997 vintage) "The 1997 Vega Sicilia ‘Valbuena 5’ Ribera del Duero is a simply dazzling effort from this challenging vintage in Ribera del Duero. The non-fruit notes of leather and cigar ash combine with the light core of red cherry and pomegranate seed tones, with cirrus rind and peat moss suggestions rounding out this expressive nose. The palate is soft and plush, showing its gorgeous mouthfeel. A bright beam of salinity runs through the core of red fruits with Mandarin orange rind, and white truffle as well as boysenberry preserve flavors that complete this stunning older bottle. Now at the 22 year mark, the 1997 Vega Sicilia ‘Valbuena 5’ Ribera del Duero is gorgeous now and will cellar well for at least another five to ten years. But why wait?" - Owen Bargreen
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$231.95
inc. 21% sales tax
1997 750ml
Vega sicilia valbuena 5º ano 5º ano
In stock ()
INVINIC Wine Collection Boutique
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Spain: Barcelona
Standard delivery 1-3 working days
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$987.57
$493.78 / 750ml
inc. 21% sales tax
1997 Magnum (1.5L)
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 1997 Magnum, Espana, Ribera del Duero
In stock ()
Check with the merchant for stock availability. Wine-Searcher is not responsible for omissions and inaccuracies.
Highlights
Details
About the Product
- Producer Notes
- Of the 1,000 hectares making up the Vega Sicilia estate, 210 are used for wine growing, and there are 19 soil types divided for management purposes into 52 plots with very specific characteristics. The influence of the Duero river's flow and the passage of time have been vital in forming these soils. 140 of these hectares are employed to produce Valbuena 5º. A unique, magical estate, which alongside extraordinary vineyard management, enables the production of legendary wines. Valbuena is the pure expression of red wine at Vega Sicilia, with an ageing process, from the barrel to the bottle, which lasts five years and gives the wine its name: Valbuena 5º (5th). Both new and used 225-litre barrels of French and American new and used wooden barrels, and 20,000-litre vats. A long and complex process for a great wine.
- Drinking Window
- 2002-2026
Analytical Data
- Alcohol ABV
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14 - 14.5%
- Sweetness
-
Dry
Production Attributes
- Maturation
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Oaked
- Oak Type
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American, French
- Ownership
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El Enebro Sociedad Anonima
- Closure Type
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Cork
- Ageing
-
barrels of French and American
Suggested Dishes to Pair With This Wine
- Black forest ham Starter Course
- Contains: Black Forest ham
- German
- Lamb with red wine sauce Main Course
- Western
- Meat stew Main Course
- Western
- Linconshire Poacher Cheese Course
- British
Details
About the Product
- Producer Notes
- Of the 1,000 hectares making up the Vega Sicilia estate, 210 are used for wine growing, and there are 19 soil types divided for management purposes into 52 plots with very specific characteristics. The influence of the Duero river's flow and the passage of time have been vital in forming these soils. 140 of these hectares are employed to produce Valbuena 5º. A unique, magical estate, which alongside extraordinary vineyard management, enables the production of legendary wines. Valbuena is the pure expression of red wine at Vega Sicilia, with an ageing process, from the barrel to the bottle, which lasts five years and gives the wine its name: Valbuena 5º (5th). Both new and used 225-litre barrels of French and American new and used wooden barrels, and 20,000-litre vats. A long and complex process for a great wine.
- Drinking Window
- 2002-2026
Analytical Data
- Alcohol ABV
-
14 - 14.5%
- Sweetness
-
Dry
Production Attributes
- Maturation
-
Oaked
- Oak Type
-
American, French
- Ownership
-
El Enebro Sociedad Anonima
- Closure Type
-
Cork
- Ageing
-
barrels of French and American
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Critics Scores & Reviews
(9)1997 vintage
90 / 100
9 scores
95 - 100
0
90 - 94
7
85 - 89
2
80 - 84
0
75 - 79
0
0 - 74
0
When to drink: 2002 to 2026
1997 Vintage
Tasted: Dec 2019
When to drink: 2019
to 2026
The 1997 Vega Sicilia ‘Valbuena 5’ Ribera del Duero is a simply dazzling effort from this challenging vintage in Ribera del Duero. The non-fruit notes of leather and cigar ash combine with the light core of red cherry and pomegranate seed tones, with cirrus rind and peat moss suggestions rounding out this expressive nose. The palate is soft and plush, showing its gorgeous mouthfeel. A bright beam of salinity runs through the core of red fruits with Mandarin orange rind, and white truffle as well as boysenberry preserve flavors that complete this stunning older bottle. Now at the 22 year mark, the 1997 Vega Sicilia ‘Valbuena 5’ Ribera del Duero is gorgeous now and will cellar well for at least another five to ten years. But why wait?
1997 Vintage
Tasted: May 2009
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PRO subscription.
1997 Vintage
Tasted: Jan 2009
(2009) Vinous and pleasantly cedary, but perhaps a touch less ripe than it could be. It has a certain smoky, earthy character which is appealing. The palate is again a little more driven by acidity than the weight of fruit. The tannins are nicely resolved and this has fine energy, with racy, lithe tannins and good length thanks to modest but elegant fruit and that acidity. A successful wine in a poor year for the region.
1997 Vintage
Tasted: Jan 2001
A wine of exceptional elegance that starts off with delicate floral aromas of violets or lilacs, then folds in black cherries, red raspberries and dried spices. Bright fruit flavors sing on the long finish. No Unico was made in this difficult vintage, so much of the juice that normally goes into Unico was used for this wine, while the wine that is normally Valbuena was sold off for distillation.
For completeness we may include critic scores in our aggregation that we do not display.
User Ratings
(7)3.5
7 ratings
Excellent
1997 Vintage Saved: 5-Feb-2017
Best bang for the buck... by far the cheaper (old wine) and hard to beat... good to drink by 2014... no!!! Still impresive now and i think its gonna be still awsome for a couple years
Compare vintages
Vintage
Critics Score
Avg. Price (ex-tax)
All
94 / 100
$ 228
2024
–
–
2023
–
–
2022
–
–
2021
98 / 100
–
2020
94 / 100
$ 232
2019
94 / 100
$ 227
2018
95 / 100
$ 228
2017
94 / 100
$ 225
2016
95 / 100
$ 228
2015
95 / 100
$ 240
2014
94 / 100
$ 219
2013
93 / 100
$ 213
2012
93 / 100
$ 224
2011
93 / 100
$ 208
2010
94 / 100
$ 373
2009
93 / 100
–
2008
92 / 100
$ 232
2007
92 / 100
$ 220
2006
92 / 100
–
2005
92 / 100
–
2004
92 / 100
–
2003
91 / 100
–
2002
91 / 100
$ 240
2001
90 / 100
–
2000
91 / 100
–
1999
91 / 100
–
1998
91 / 100
$ 350
1997
90 / 100
–
1996
88 / 100
$ 562
1995
90 / 100
–
1994
93 / 100
–
1993
88 / 100
–
1992
89 / 100
–
1991
88 / 100
–
1990
89 / 100
–
1989
93 / 100
–
1988
91 / 100
–
1987
93 / 100
–
1986
–
–
1985
92 / 100
–
1984
92 / 100
–
1983
92 / 100
–
1982
93 / 100
–
1981
–
–
1980
–
–
1979
80 / 100
–
1978
–
–
1977
96 / 100
–
1976
–
–
1975
90 / 100
–
1974
–
–
1970
–
–
1969
–
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1960
–
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1953
–
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1950
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See moreSee less
1997 Vintage: Spain Learn more
Vintage quality: Average
Current condition: Likely past it
The Spanish vintage of 1997 was good but stopped short of great.
The winter was mild but damp and these cool conditions continued into the summer which hindered the grapes from ripening and raised the risk of rot. September, however, was a welcome relief bringing warm...
Price History
Worldwide average retail price per 750ml, ex tax USD $ from Nov 2023 to Oct 2025
Availability Over Time
Number of offers from our merchants from Nov 2023 to Oct 2025
Search Rank Over Time
Popularity relative to other wines, spirits and beers , irrespective of vintage, based on the number of searches from Nov 2023 to Oct 2025
Wine-Searcher's historical data and benchmark analysis provides trustworthy and valuable insights into likely market trends.
Wine-Searcher also produces detailed reports for market insights into the industry.Learn more
Wine-Searcher also produces detailed reports for market insights into the industry.Learn more
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