Vega Sicilia - Unico 2013
Vega Sicilia is considered the largest wine producer in Spain. The Ribera del Duero estate is known for its dense and complex red wines made primarily from the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) grape variety. Its great wine, Unico , is one of Spain's most expensive and sought-after wines. The Vega Sicilia estate covers approximately 1,000 hectares, of which 210 hectares are under vines. It has been around since 1864, long before the development of the appellation in which it resides, and current wine styles date back to the 1910s. Quality has become more consistent since the current owners, the Alvarez family , took over in 1982. The vineyards are planted with approximately 80% Tempranillo, with the rest occupied by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and tiny amounts of Malbec. Yields are kept low, aided by green harvesting and careful grape selection. The winery operations are equally meticulous, with a highly technical series of rackings from large barrels to barrels, blending old and new oak and resulting in wines that are capable of long ageing. Vega Sicilia also owns the nearby Bodegas Alion , which produces high-quality Tempranillo varietal wines for earlier consumption, as well as Bodegas Pintia in Toro.
Único is the reference wine of Vega Sicilia. It is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon . Fermentation at controlled temperature is carried out in wooden vats with native yeast. The malolactic fermentation is also carried out in a wooden vat. After its fermentation, the wine goes through what is probably the longest barrel aging in the world for a red wine, almost 10 years between the wooden tank and the bottle. Único is aged in different types of barrels: French and American wood, new and used 225-litre barrels, 20,000-litre barrels… After passing through the wood, it ages in the bottle. In general, the wine is aged for 6 years in barrels, and 3 years in the bottle .
Grapes: Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon
