Vega Sicilia
About Vega Sicilia
Ribera del Duero sits as Spain’s premier winegrowing region today, with Vega-Sicilia being the jewel in the crown. Undoubtedly Spain’s First Growth, Vega-Sicilia, has risen to the top of winemaking in Spain since its inception in 1864 when Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves brought Cabernet and Merlot cuttings over from Bordeaux, planting them alongside the Spanish Tempranillo. It is also the only Spanish producer in the Liv-ex ‘Power 100’ list of the world’s most collectable wine estates. In 2019, it even jumped to 26th place, where it is rated above Pétrus, Opus One and Le Pin.
Viniculture
Vega Sicilia speaks of the barren, hot, sunshine terraces of central Spain. These are complex wines that are a constant and enjoyable paradox: showing depth with brilliance, grace with power. Their top wine is the legendary Único. Crafted from some of the oldest vines in the appellation, Único is released after long periods of ageing at the estate. Mainly Tempranillo with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon, this Gran Reserva is only made in top vintages and accounts for as little as a third of the estate’s entire production.
The second wine, Valbuena 5°, uses the same blend as Único and is a pure expression of Tinto Fino (the local name for Tempranillo) with a splash of Merlot (6%). Named after the nearby village of Valbuena de Duero, the ‘5°’ refers to the age of the wine, released after five (quinto) years of barrel and bottle age, hence the name of the end product: Valbuena 5º.
-
Wine Advocate (93)
The challenge in Toro is to achieve the elegance usually linked with the name of Vega Sicilia, and with the 2013 Pintia, it's achieved by fine-tuning the harvest date to maintain the freshness of aromas and acidity of the wine. The grapes were picked between September 26th and October 10th and fermented after a cold soak. Malolactic occurred in 70% French barrels, 25% American oak and the remaining 5% in Hungarian barriques. It's a more elegant year for Pintia, as cooler vintages usually help counterbalance the natural power of Toro. It's also a lighter year with good freshness, and this showed a fine thread on the palate and was nicely textured, elegant within the rusticity of the zone. It was bottled in April 2015. 149,449 bottles, 5,558 magnums and some larger formats were produced.Inc. VAT£574.84 -
James Suckling (98)
This has a polished and complex nose of poached plums, dark cherries, tea leaves, graphite, milk chocolate and a touch of caramel. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm yet creamy tannins. Caressing, seductive and ripe, but with underlying freshness. 97% tempranillo and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Tasted from magnum. The normal bottle will be released 2023 and the magnum in 2025. Try after 2023.Inc. VAT£970.22
-
Wine Advocate (93)
The challenge in Toro is to achieve the elegance usually linked with the name of Vega Sicilia, and with the 2013 Pintia, it's achieved by fine-tuning the harvest date to maintain the freshness of aromas and acidity of the wine. The grapes were picked between September 26th and October 10th and fermented after a cold soak. Malolactic occurred in 70% French barrels, 25% American oak and the remaining 5% in Hungarian barriques. It's a more elegant year for Pintia, as cooler vintages usually help counterbalance the natural power of Toro. It's also a lighter year with good freshness, and this showed a fine thread on the palate and was nicely textured, elegant within the rusticity of the zone. It was bottled in April 2015. 149,449 bottles, 5,558 magnums and some larger formats were produced.In Bond£463.00 -
James Suckling (98)
This has a polished and complex nose of poached plums, dark cherries, tea leaves, graphite, milk chocolate and a touch of caramel. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm yet creamy tannins. Caressing, seductive and ripe, but with underlying freshness. 97% tempranillo and 3% cabernet sauvignon. Tasted from magnum. The normal bottle will be released 2023 and the magnum in 2025. Try after 2023.In Bond£800.50