Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial NV (2023) Ribera del Duero

Producer Information: Bodegas Vega Sicilia

VEGA SICILIA IS WITHOUT DOUBT SPAINS MOST FAMOUS AND MOST SOUGHT AFTER RED WINE. IT IS EQUIVALENT TO A FRENCH FIRST GROWTH MAKING CONCENTRATED AND LONG LIVED WINES ON THE LARGE THOUSAND HECTARE ESTATE IN THE RIBERA DEL DUERO WINE REGION SOME TWO HOURS DRIVE NORTH OF MADRID. THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE OWNERS OF THIS ICON OF SPANISH WINE MAKING, SINCE THE FIRST OWNER BACK IN 1864. THE CURRENT OWNERS , THE ALVAREZ FAMILY, BOUGHT THE ESTATE IN 1982. I VISITED THE WINERY IN 2000 AND WAS SURPRISED AT HOW LARGE IT WAS AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO OBTAIN MORE THAN A FEW CASES OF WINE A YEAR FROM THIS IMMACULATE PROPERTY. THERE ARE THREE WINES PRODUCED. FIRSTLY VALBUENO 5 ANO ( SO NAMED BECAUSE IT IS PUT ON SALE FIVE YEARS AFTER THE HARVEST). MADE FROM VINES AVERAGING 25 YEARS OLD IT IS MADE FROM MOSTLY TEMPRANILLO, WITH MERLOT AND CABERNET. THEN THERE IS THE FAMOUS UNICO MADE ONLY IN GREAT YEARS, OFTEN FROM VINES THAT ARE VERY LOW YIELDING AT SOME 20HL/ HA AND WITH AN AVERAGE OF 45 YEARS. THE UNICO IS MADE FROM TEMPRANILLO, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MERLOT AND MALBEC. A TINY AMOUNT OF WHITE ALBILLO IS ALSO ADDED . VERY RARELY, A MULTI-VINTAGE RESERVA ESPECIAL IS PRODUCED. AGEING IS COMPLEX WITH AS FAR AS I COULD ATTAIN NO SET PATTERN, BUT INVOLVES A COMBINATION OF MAINLY NEW AMERICAN BARIQUES, WOODEN TANKS, OLD BARRELS AND TIME IN BOTTLE.