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Vega Sicilia is widely regarded as the greatest wine producer in Spain. The estate in Ribera del Duero is known for its dense, complex red wines made principally from the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) grape variety. Its top wine, Unico, is one of Spain's most expensive and sought-after wines.
The Vega Sicilia estate covers around 1000 hectares (2470 acres) of which around 210ha (520 acres) is under vine. It has been in operation since 1864, long before the development of the appellation in which it resides, and the current wine styles date from the 1910s. Quality has become more consistent since the current owners, the Alvarez family, took over in 1982.
Vega Sicilia makes three cuvées: Unico is the flagship, and the Reserva Especial is a blend of several of the best vintages. Traditionally they would be aged for 10 years or more before release, although this has been reduced in recent vintages. The junior wine, Valbuena, is made from younger vines, and is released after five years in American oak.
Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
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Vintage | 1987 |
Rating | 95 RP |
Bottle Size | 750 ml |
Bottle Quantity | 1 |
Country | Spain |
Region | Ribera del Duero |
Location | Castilla y Leon |
Producer | Vega Sicilia |
Color | Red |
Wine Type | Table |
Rating | 95 RP - Pablo Alvarez believes 1987 was an atypical vintage for Vega Sicilia and that initially the Unico was “very tense, not generous and unusually harsh†but in bottle, he finds that it has become relaxed and whole. A blend of 80% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot/Malbec, it has a comparatively introspective bouquet with blackberry, warm gravel, blood orange and raspberry coulis. It opens nicely with aeration although it retains some of its saturnine nature that was apparently remarked upon its release. The palate is medium-bodied with an attractive, edgy bitter note on the entry. The tannins are a little coarse compared to other vintages but harmonious in the mouth. It is interwoven by edgy, crisp acidity with touches of cooked meat and mandarin, plus a little liquorice towards the sappy, succulent finish. It is missing a little flair, but represents a fine, assertive style of Unico that should mellow with bottle age. RP |
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Varietal | Proprietary Blend |
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Vintage | 1987 |
Rating | 95 RP |
Bottle Size | 750 ml |
Bottle Quantity | 1 |
Country | Spain |
Region | Ribera del Duero |
Location | Castilla y Leon |
Producer | Vega Sicilia |
Color | Red |
Wine Type | Table |
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