The colour is deep garnet. The nose is very intense, with a mix of red and dark berries, tomato sauce, leather and roasted meat. In the mouth very filling, elegant and balanced. The aftertaste is tasty and last for a long while.
Vega Sicilia Unico has been one of my favourite wines since I first tasted it a few years ago. This bottle confirms my enthusiasm. To me it is much more satisfying than any first growth Bordeaux I ever tasted.
Vega Sicilia was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, a Spanish winemaker who was trained in the Bordeaux wine region of France. From France he brought cuttings of the Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Carmenere, and planted them alongside the native varietal of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) in a vineyard east of Valladolid, in the Ribera del Duero region of Spain.
Almost 40% of Vega Sicilia’s vineyards are still planted with traditional Bordeaux varieties, including nearly 25% planted with Cabernet Sauvignon.
The name of the winery has no connection to the island of Sicily. The word Vega refers to the green vegetation that grows along the riverbank of the Duero. Sicilia refers to Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, after whom several villages in Castile and León are named.
Vega Sicilia Unico is made from at least 80% Tempranillo grapes blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Unico typically spends seven years aging in new and old oak casks, with three years in bottle before release. However, the 2007 vintage only aged for 64 months in wood, divided almost equally between barrels and foudres. The blend is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Merlot.
Unico is among the most prestigious wines of Spain, a wine that is comparable to a first growth of Bordeaux. The first vintage of Unico was produced in 1915. Nowadays between 40’000 and 100’000 bottles are made each year, depending on the vintage (75’000 in 2007).
There is a second Unico, the Reserva Especial, which is a blend of two or three vintages selected from Vega Sicilia’s cellar. A few years ago I drunk a bottle of Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial released in 2014. It was made with the 1994, 1995 and 2000 vintages.
For this bottle I paid 200 CHF five years ago, when Arvi run a one-day special offer. Vega Sicilia Unico usually sells at around 350 CHF.
Country: Spain
Region: Ribera del Duero
Grapes: Tempranillo, Merlot
Type: Red
Vintage: 2007
Producer: Vega Sicilia
Price range: Luxury (>100 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 5/5