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 26^th 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.

Year	Wine	Region	Format	Qty	Score	Price
Vega Sicilia Alion 2011 (1x150cl) HK$1,100.00
2011	Vega Sicilia Alion 2011 (1x150cl) Wine Advocate (94) The 2011 Alion is pure Tempranillo from vineyards averaging 25 to 30 years of age, harvested early (second half of September) matured for 16 months in new Nevers barrels (that’s a difference with Vega Sicilia; for Alion all wood is French). It is an exuberant, ripe Alion, with hedonist’s aromas that jump out of the glass. Winemaker Javier Ausas tells me he likes the wines when they are young and showy like this one. It is indeed a showy vintage, with aromas of violets, molasses, cereals and a whiff of malt whisky. We tasted the wine a little warm, but that does not benefit the wine, which should be served at 15-16 C and allowed to warm up and open up in the glass. It’s also quite smoky, with reminiscences of very good barrels, black aromas, violets, black olives and fresh plums. The palate is tannic with lactic and warm flavors. This is a very exuberant, showy vintage for Alion, and here I tend to agree with Ausas: even though this has plenty of stuffing to age I’d drink it young in its exuberant phase. 290,000 bottles produced. Drink now-2019. 1 In Stock - Immediate Delivery	Castilla y Leon	1x150cl	1	94 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$1,100.00
Vega Sicilia Alion 2017 (6x75cl) HK$3,920.00
2017	Vega Sicilia Alion 2017 (6x75cl) James Suckling (95) Lots of chocolate and berry with some coffee-bean and vanilla undertones. It’s full and layered with plenty of fruit, round tannins and pleasing complexity of smoked and toasted wood. Tar undertone. Very drinkable now, but better after 2022. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	6x75cl	1	95 (JS) Read Review/Description	HK$3,920.00
Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro 2011 (6x75cl) HK$3,545.00
2011	Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro 2011 (6x75cl) Wine Advocate (94) Vintages are therefore selling a little faster now and I tasted the 2011 Pintia, which is produced with the local strain of Tempranillo called Tinta de Toro from, head-pruned, mostly ungrafted, old vineyards (40 to 60 years of age) that were harvested quite early and quickly (50 tons of grapes per day!), September 13-18, to preserve the freshness in a very warm, ripe vintage. The wine matured for one year in mostly French oak barrels and is dark and ripe, but surprisingly fresh for a very warm vintage. The early harvesting has paid back and has provided for a wine that shows the character of the place, with that slight rusticity – especially if compared with Alion – true to its birthplace and the vintage, with notes of tree bark and damsons, spicy oak and a faint reductive character when uncorked. It would benefit from decanting in advance, and notes of beef blood emerge with time in the glass. The palate is medium to full-bodied with juicy tannins and a supple texture that fills your mouth, ending with a pleasant bitter note. This is a generous, big, ripe wine getting civilized and more elegant by the year, still a little marked by toasted oak, but developing different notes with time, becoming very meaty and showy. The 2011 will be released in 2015. 190,000 bottles produced. Drink 2015-2019. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	6x75cl	2	94 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$3,545.00
Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro 2016 (6x75cl) HK$2,860.00
2016	Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro 2016 (6x75cl) Wine Advocate (95) The 2016 Pintia comes from a cooler but drier vintage, and the wine has a little less alcohol and more freshness. It fermented in oak vats and matured in mostly new and mostly French oak, but this year they used a little more American oak with the idea to increase density. 2016 was an atypical year in Toro; they had plenty of time to pick the grapes with lower alcohol and wines with more elegance. This is clearly a more elegant vintage than 2015. The wine has some notes that took me to the Northern Rhône, and the oak is neatly integrated—it seems to get better integrated in cooler years. There is a mix of black and red fruit that denotes good freshness. The palate is medium-bodied, with a distinct lack of rusticity and density, and it's more fluid. It has abundant, chalky and fine-grained tannins and a supple, long and dry finish. 230,032 bottles, 6,517 magnums and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in May 2018. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	6x75cl	2	95 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$2,860.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 1962 (1x75cl) HK$12,700.00
1962	Vega Sicilia Unico 1962 (1x75cl) Wine Advocate (100) The 1962 Vega Sicilia possesses quite astonishing purity on the nose with candied dark cherry fruit, eucalyptus, kirsch and a touch of cinnamon. This is what you might describe as a -perfect bouquet-. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannin, seamless and satin-like in texture: an Unico that is shimmering with untrammeled greatness. Youthful, vivacious and utterly compelling, this is a profound wine that even after four decades is surfeit with precocity. Undoubtedly, this must be one of the greatest Spanish wines to have graced this planet. 87,600 bottles produced. Drink now-2020+ Tasted January 2012. In Stock in Singapore	Castilla y Leon	1x75cl	1	100 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$12,700.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 1968 (1x150cl) HK$37,350.00
1968	Vega Sicilia Unico 1968 (1x150cl) Wine Advocate (94) The 1968 has an enormous reputation, but on this occasion, it was outclassed by the 1962. It is noticeably deep in color compared to coeval vintages. There are notes of black cherry, cedar, liquorice and undergrowth, yet the overall effect is that the -68 seems a little -serious-. The palate is structured and masculine with slightly drier tannins than the 1962 that leads to a comparatively foursquare, sinewy, obdurate finish. Dare I say that it probably still needs more time? Something tells me I will one day encounter a better bottle than this. 45,300 bottles produced. Drink now-2020+. As per photo Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	1x150cl	1	94 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$37,350.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 1990 (3x75cl) HK$19,955.00
1990	Vega Sicilia Unico 1990 (3x75cl) Wine Advocate (96) Served from magnum, the 1990 Unico (a blend of 80% Tinto Fino and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) possesses and extraordinarily, opulent bouquet with cassis, blood orange, Italian cured meat and crushed stone. It is extremely well defined and powerful yet succinctly focused. The palate is ripe and sweet on the entry. Vibrant red fruit, orange peel, marmalade, Asian spices all vie for attention. There is great weight and potency, building in the mouth that is rich in glycerine and climaxes with a spicy, meaty finish that tightly grips the mouth. It has a Right Bank, Cabernet Franc like persona. This is a lovely, decadent Unico that is surfeit with fresh and vitality, a Rubenesque Unico of some style. 109,548 bottles produced. Drink now-2030. As per photo Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	96 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$19,955.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2000 (3x75cl) HK$9,590.00
2000	Vega Sicilia Unico 2000 (3x75cl) Wine Advocate (93) The millennial Unico was tasted twice in January and June 2012. It has a Bordeaux- inspired bouquet that demonstrates more austerity than the 2004 with herbaceous notes infusing the brambly black fruit: smoke, forest floor, wild mint and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with bright blackberry, strawberry and Morello on the entry. It is extremely well balanced and more feminine than the nose suggests. There is also impressive tension and vivacity towards the finish. There is great backbone here, a solid and obdurate Unico at the moment, but it will surely mellow in bottle. 108,536 bottles produced. Drink 2018-2030+. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	2	93 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$9,590.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2004 (6x75cl) HK$17,310.00
2004	Vega Sicilia Unico 2004 (6x75cl) Wine Advocate (97) Moving on to the big guns, the 2004 Unico is truly spectacular, in line with the 1970 and 1994. It’s a blend of 87% Tempranillo and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unico has a unique long aging, in the case of the 2004, 15 months in 20,000-liter vats, 25 month in new barrels, 17 months in used barrels and a further 26 months in the big oak vats. It has complex notes of tobacco, cedar wood and blackberries, and shows very good balance between power and elegance as well as perfect ripeness. It has a similar profile to the 1994, but there’s ten years difference in experience and technical knowledge. There is nuance; there is detail, filigree, balance, harmony and complexity. There is a fine texture. In short, it is a great, world-class wine, a superb vintage for Unico. 87,500 bottles, 2,229 magnums, 150 double magnums and 5 Imperials were filled with this extraordinary wine. This is approachable now, but it’s a shame to drink so soon. It will age for a very long time, as it has the balance and harmony to do so, and it will develop more complexity with time. Drink 2016-2029. But if the single harvest Unico is fantastic, the multi-vintage blend could be even better as it also plays with the benefit of extra aging time. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	6x75cl	1	97 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$17,310.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2006 (1x150cl) HK$7,975.00
2006	Vega Sicilia Unico 2006 (1x150cl) James Suckling (100) Incredibly floral and beautiful with dark berry, spice, cedar and mint. Chinese plums. Asian spices. Bark. Tea. Full body, dense and so soft and complex. The finish goes on for minutes. Endless and fine. January 2017 release. This reminds me of the gorgeous 1991 or 1964. Drink forever. A wine that you want to spend time with. In Stock in France	Castilla y Leon	1x150cl	2	100 (JS) Read Review/Description	HK$7,975.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2006 (3x75cl) HK$9,200.00
2006	Vega Sicilia Unico 2006 (3x75cl) James Suckling (100) Incredibly floral and beautiful with dark berry, spice, cedar and mint. Chinese plums. Asian spices. Bark. Tea. Full body, dense and so soft and complex. The finish goes on for minutes. Endless and fine. January 2017 release. This reminds me of the gorgeous 1991 or 1964. Drink forever. A wine that you want to spend time with. 2 In Stock - Immediate Delivery	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	2	100 (JS) Read Review/Description	HK$9,200.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2009 (1x150cl) HK$6,650.00
2009	Vega Sicilia Unico 2009 (1x150cl) Vinous (98) Inky ruby. An assertively perfumed, highly complex bouquet displays powerful, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, exotic spice, vanilla, potpourri and incense aromas, along with suggestions of cola and mocha. Broad, focused and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that show remarkable clarity and are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. The spice, mineral and floral notes resonate emphatically on the strikingly long, sweet finish, which features harmonious tannins and building, resonating dark berry character. In Stock in France	Castilla y Leon	1x150cl	2	98 (VN) Read Review/Description	HK$6,650.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2009 (3x75cl) HK$7,724.00
2009	Vega Sicilia Unico 2009 (3x75cl) Vinous (98) Inky ruby. An assertively perfumed, highly complex bouquet displays powerful, mineral-accented dark berry preserve, exotic spice, vanilla, potpourri and incense aromas, along with suggestions of cola and mocha. Broad, focused and deeply concentrated, offering palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur, violet pastille and spicecake flavors that show remarkable clarity and are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. The spice, mineral and floral notes resonate emphatically on the strikingly long, sweet finish, which features harmonious tannins and building, resonating dark berry character. In Stock in United Kingdom	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	98 (VN) Read Review/Description	HK$7,724.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2010 (3x75cl) HK$7,490.00
2010	Vega Sicilia Unico 2010 (3x75cl) Tim Atkin MW (100) Vega Sicilia Único Reserva 2010 (14%) Perfection is as rare in wine as it is in most things in life, but this is a stunning Único, reflecting the quality of one of the greatest vintages of the last century. Blended with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, as it was in 2009, it's still a very youthful wine right now, with closeknit tannins, thrilling acidity, layers of spices, fresh earth, tobacco, red and black fruits, some oak sweetness and a wonderfully refreshing, leafy undertone. Simply stunning. Estimated Arrival to France: 4-5 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	8	100 (TA) Read Review/Description	HK$7,490.00
Vega Sicilia Unico 2011 (3x75cl) HK$7,315.00
2011	Vega Sicilia Unico 2011 (3x75cl) James Suckling (98) Very ripe with plum, spice and dried-flower aromas, as well as chocolate, fresh flowers and sandalwood. Coffee and hints of meat. Sort of decadent. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins and an intense, juicy feel. Unique cedar and walnut undertones. So delicious now, but one for the future, too. Estimated Arrival to France: 4-5 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	18	98 (JS) Read Review/Description	HK$7,315.00
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial 2020 Release 2008, 2009 & 2010 (3x75cl) HK$13,290.00
2020	Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial 2020 Release 2008, 2009 & 2010 (3x75cl) Decanter (98) The Reserva Especial is Vega Sicilia's unique version of a traditional Spanish classic, the blend of three vintages. The 2020 release is composed of 2008, 2009 and 2010. The result is a delightfully sumptuous wine, with a glorious supple texture, dense fruit and sweet spices Despite the intensity it has Vega Sicilia's keynote brightness, emphasising its youth. The most approachable of Vega Sicilia's top wines, enjoy it now or for another 15 years. Estimated Arrival to France: 5-6 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	98 (DC) Read Review/Description	HK$13,290.00
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial Release 2019 (3x75cl) HK$17,320.00
2019	Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial Release 2019 (3x75cl) James Suckling (99) Vintages blended seamlessly together. Unique to Vega Sicilia. The tobacco, spice and earthy depth here is terrific. Very complex iodine and almost oyster shell minerals. An array of red and black cherries and plums. Very complex. Very fresh. A blend of 2006, 2007 and 2009. Try in 2022. In Stock in United Kingdom	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	99 (JS) Read Review/Description	HK$17,320.00
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial Release 2021 (3x75cl) HK$12,125.00
2021	Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial Release 2021 (3x75cl) Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	2	-	HK$12,125.00
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2004 (3x75cl) HK$5,265.00
2004	Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2004 (3x75cl) Wine Advocate (94) The saturated purple 2004 Valbuena offers up an expressive perfume of mineral, scorched earth, espresso, incense, and black cherry. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, intensely flavored, spicy wine with layers of fruit, soft tannins, and a pure, lengthy finish. It will benefit from another 5-7 years of bottle age and offer optimal drinking from 2015 to 2029. In Stock in United Kingdom	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	94 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$5,265.00
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2010 (3x75cl) HK$5,380.00
2010	Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2010 (3x75cl) Wine Advocate (96) Since the 2010 harvest, they ferment plot by plot, and it shows. This Valbuena has almost 100 components in it, smaller lots, all of them corresponding to a plot of vines. It has all the signs of being one of the best vintages ever for this second wine from Vega Sicilia, mostly Tempranillo but with 5% Merlot that matured five months in 20,000-liter oak vats, 18 months in new barriques (equal parts French and American oak), three months in used barrels and then five months in the vats again before being bottled in May 2013. 2010 seems to have the exuberance of the 2011 and the seriousness and elegance of 2009. It has the Burgundian philosophy of terroir, with all plots fermented and aged separately, giving each vineyard what it needs in terms of vinification and elevage resulting in something like 40 separate lots to blend. This wine has gained in precision and sharpness, and is very pure with delineated aromas and flavors. It is a world-class wine, possibly the best Valbuena ever. 180,000 bottles and some bigger-sized formats were filled. The wine will be released in 2015. Drink 2016-2025. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	5	96 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$5,380.00
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2016 (3x75cl) HK$3,000.00
2016	Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2016 (3x75cl) Wine Advocate (96) The 2016 Valbuena was produced with a blend of 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot from 140 hectares dedicated to this wine. It fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the first year it matured in barrels (75% French, 25% American) and the second year in large oak vats. This is again a floral and elegant vintage of Valbuena, very much in line with what has happened in the best vintages since 2010. 2016 is going to be a wine that the public is going to like; it has an extroverted personality and is perfumed and generous, juicy and tasty and nicely textured, with fine-grained tannins and very focused and clean flavors. 2016 was a year of very good freshness in Ribera del Duero, a year they like even better than 2018. 182,882 bottles, 6,030 magnums and a few larger formats were produced. It was bottled in June 2019. 1 In Stock - Immediate Delivery	Castilla y Leon	3x75cl	1	96 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$3,000.00
Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2016 (6x75cl) HK$6,240.00
2016	Vega Sicilia Valbuena 5 2016 (6x75cl) Wine Advocate (96) The 2016 Valbuena was produced with a blend of 94% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 6% Merlot from 140 hectares dedicated to this wine. It fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the first year it matured in barrels (75% French, 25% American) and the second year in large oak vats. This is again a floral and elegant vintage of Valbuena, very much in line with what has happened in the best vintages since 2010. 2016 is going to be a wine that the public is going to like; it has an extroverted personality and is perfumed and generous, juicy and tasty and nicely textured, with fine-grained tannins and very focused and clean flavors. 2016 was a year of very good freshness in Ribera del Duero, a year they like even better than 2018. 182,882 bottles, 6,030 magnums and a few larger formats were produced. It was bottled in June 2019. Estimated Arrival to United Kingdom: 3-4 months	Castilla y Leon	6x75cl	4	96 (WA) Read Review/Description	HK$6,240.00

Vega Sicilia

About Vega Sicilia

Viniculture

Wine Advocate (94)

James Suckling (95)

Wine Advocate (94)

Wine Advocate (95)

Wine Advocate (100)

Wine Advocate (94)

Wine Advocate (96)

Wine Advocate (93)

Wine Advocate (97)

James Suckling (100)

James Suckling (100)

Vinous (98)

Vinous (98)

Tim Atkin MW (100)

James Suckling (98)

Decanter (98)

James Suckling (99)

Wine Advocate (94)

Wine Advocate (96)

Wine Advocate (96)

Wine Advocate (96)