A vertical of Vega Sicilia: taking a deep dive into Spain’s most celebrated wine producer
UK wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd have just launched an offer of some back vintages of Vega Sicilia. (The offer is here: https://www.bbr.com/mature-vega-sicilia-unico-valbuena)
So they invited some press and private customers for a rather grand tasting of these wines, which was hosted by winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga.
Gonzalo started as technical director of Vega Sicilia 11 years ago. ‘There is something unique about Vega Sicilia,’ he says. And as for winemaking, ‘You don’t need any artifice – the terroir gives us everything.’
The key job, he says, is to find the al dente moment for harvest. And then when the grapes arrive in the winery, the approach taken is determined by the characteristics of the vintage. ‘Our objective is to be humble,’ he says.
Vega Sicilia age their wines for a long time. ‘The long ageing process is a unique way of making wines,’ says Gonzalo. To begin with, the wines start out in small oak, and both French and American oak are used. After a year, they decide where each barrel is destined. Some of the wines are less structured and will go to Valbuena, with another year in old oak. All the Merlot is used for Valbuena.
Unico spends 5.5 years in barrel, beginning with 18 months in small barrels, and then the rest of the time in 22 000 litre casks. This lengthy élevage takes the thick, structured young wines and refines them.
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2021 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Complex and bold with nice density. Grainy and spicy with good concentration, weight and structure. This is quite serious. 94/100
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2020 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Nice weight here with some elegance but also lots of structure. Nice intensity with cherry and berry fruits to the fore, and some grip. Very stylish. 95/100
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2018 Ribera del Duero, Spain
This is developing some appealing floral aromatics. Sweetly textured, and opening out nicely. There’s some grippiness, but also texture and purity, showing real elegance and some spicy oak on the finish. Everything is in harmony. 96/100
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5° 2016 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Aromatic and fine; silky and spicy. Has resolved tannins with some warmth and spiciness. Sleek, warm berry fruits and a bit of grip on the finish. 95/100
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial NV Ribera del Duero, Spain
This 2026 release blends together 2011, 2012 and 2014. Smooth, long, elegant and refined with sweet cherry and plum fruit, some richness, and a slight saltiness on the finish. Such a wide dynamic range. A beautiful wine. 97/100
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial NV Ribera del Duero, Spain
This is the 2016 release, which blends together the 1996, 1998 and 2002 vintages. This shows beautiful evolution. Warm, spicy and herbal, with elegant red cherry and plum fruit. Lovely spicy framing. Refined and harmonious: this is still precise, even though it is showing plenty of development. 97/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2016 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Lovely aromatics: warm and sweetly fruited, showing floral red cherry and black cherry fruit with a little development. Good intensity on the palate, which is ripe and rounded with lovely fruit and fine-grained tannins. Has a very sweet fruit profile. 95/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2012 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Concentrated, saline and intense with appealing blackcurrant and black cherry fruit. Ripe, seamless and well integrated with concentrated, bold, slightly structured fruit. Real depth here. 96/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2009 Ribera del Duero, Spain
This is concentrated, rich and refined with some sweet berry and blackcurrant fruit showing measured development. There’s a savoury, saline edge to the rich blackcurrant fruit on the palate. Warm and concentrated. 96/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2006 Ribera del Duero, Spain
This is showing lots of development on the nose: herbs, spice and iodine, as well as sweet berry fruits. In the mouth it has lovely elegance. Spicy, with some firmness, but also warm, sweet fruit and a salty twist. Very stylish with nice intensity. 96/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2005 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Warmly aromatic with herbs and a hint of turned earth, and notes of iodine and spice. The palate is warm, spicy and slightly earthy, with soft structure. Ripe, rich and mellow, this is a rich, warm style. 95/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 2004 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Complex, layered and elegant with lovely pure blackcurrant and black cherry fruit, with good depth of flavour. There’s some warm spiciness, too. Has richness, but also a linear, pure quality. 97/100
Vega Sicilia Unico 1996 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Nice maturity here. Warmly spiced berry fruits with richness and also complexity, and notes of herbs, iodine, salt. Black cherries and ripe berry fruits, with great concentration. Beautifully resolved and drinking perfectly now. 97/100
See also: https://wineanorak.com/2020/09/10/visiting-vega-sicilia-one-of-spains-most-revered-wineries/
