2009 Vega Sicilia Unico

The vintage may differ from the image shown

De specificaties zoals vermeld bij de wijn (o.a. wijnjaar) en in de titel zijn leidend en er kunnen geen rechten worden ontleend aan de afbeelding die wordt getoond. Lees meer in onze Frequenty asked questions

Out of Stock

Currently unavailable

Notify me when this product is back in stock

Description

chevron-down

The history of Vega Sicilia and its significance for Ribera del Duero

Vega Sicilia has been a household name in the Spanish wine world since 1864. The winery gained international fame in the 20th century thanks to the efforts of successive owners who continued to invest in quality and tradition. Since 1982, the estate has been in the hands of the Álvarez family. With 210 hectares of vineyards on the banks of the Duero River and a focus on long-matured wines, Vega Sicilia has become an icon. The Unico wine is the estate's flagship, only made in strong years, with extreme attention to detail and maturation.

Ribera del Duero: climate, location and grape varieties

The vineyards of Ribera del Duero are located at an altitude of 700 to 1000 meters, which creates a large difference between day and night temperatures. This slows down the ripening and ensures intense aroma development. The most important grape in this region is Tinto Fino, a local variant of Tempranillo. At Vega Sicilia, this grape is often supplemented with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon for extra structure and complexity. The soil is poor, well-draining and rich in lime and gravel, which contributes to the concentration and shelf life of the wines.

The 2009 Vega Sicilia Unico: grapes, harvest and maturation

The 2009 Vega Sicilia Unico is composed of 94% Tinto Fino and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. The growing season was warm and dry, resulting in perfectly ripe grapes with full aromas. The harvest was done entirely by hand. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, followed by a long maturation in both new and used French and American oak. In total, the wine matured for almost 10 years, of which more than 6 years in barrel and several years in bottle. This long maturation is characteristic of Unico and ensures an extraordinary development of aroma and structure.

Color, aroma and flavor profile of the 2009 Unico

The wine shows a deep ruby red color with slight evolution on the edge. In the nose intense aromas of dried red fruit, cedar, graphite, tobacco, spices and a hint of balsamic emerge. In the mouth the wine is full and silky, with layers of black fruit, leather, liquorice and subtle wood tones. The tannins are ripe and fine-grained, the acidity lively and the finish impressively long and harmonious. It is a wine that is already refined, but can also age for another 20 to 30 years.

Would you like to order wines from 2009 Vega Sicilia Unico online?

This exclusive wine is safely stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse. If you come to collect the wine, you will often receive an attractive discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Collect' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, almost directly next to the A16, with ample parking. Click here for our address.

The full reviews from international wine critics such as Parker, Suckling and Vinous are available via the links next to the image. This service is completely free for our customers.

Need help selecting the right wine for your dinner? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier . This service is free for Grandcruwijnen customers.

Wine and food pairings with 2009 Vega Sicilia Unico

Beef stew with carrot and cloves: The soft texture and deep flavours of the stew perfectly match the ripe and earthy tones of the wine.

Leg of lamb with thyme and roasted garlic: The spicy character of this dish is beautifully supported by the complexity of the wine.

Risotto with porcini mushrooms and aged Parmesan: The creamy texture and umami of the risotto enhance the tertiary aromas in the wine.

Grilled ribeye with pepper cream sauce: The meaty texture of ribeye and the powerful sauce are a solid partner for the depth of this wine.

Specifications

chevron-down
Type of Wine Red
Country Spain
Region Castilla y Leon
Appellation Ribera del Duero
Winery Vega Sicilia
Grape Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo
Biological certified No
Natural wine No
Vegan No
Vintage 2009
Drinking as of 2020
Drinking till 2038
Alcohol % 14
Alcohol free/low No
Content 0.75 ltr
Oak aging Yes
Sparkling No
Dessert wine No
Closure Cork
Parker rating 98
James Suckling rating 98
Vinous rating 98
Tasting Profiles Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Kruidig, Rood fruit, Tannines, Vol
Drink moments Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard

Professional Reviews

chevron-down

Parker

98

James Suckling

98

Vinous

98

Wijnhuis

chevron-down

The history of Vega Sicilia dates back to 1864 with an unprecedented revolutionary step for the time. In that year, Eloy Lecanda founded the winery and imported 18,000 cuttings of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and pinot noir from Bordeaux. He plants these cuttings on his father's finca, just east of Valladolid. A long education in barrique and wooden foeders follows. Only in 1915 did the domain itself bottle the first Valbuena and Vega Sicilia.

Vega Sicilia establishes its reputation for good in 1929 at the World Exhibition in Barcelona. There, the years 1917 and 1918 receive an award. From that moment on, the company expanded its image to its current, almost legendary dimensions.

In 1982 a new era dawned with the acquisition of the domain by the current owner, the Alvarez family. The new owner immediately starts an extensive program of investments in the vineyards and cellars, without affecting the unique character of Vega. In that year the D.O. Ribera del Duera set. After the successful acquisition of Vega Sicilia, the Alvarez family is considering further expansion. They look for the best terroirs and add a number of famous or promising wine regions to their property in a relatively short time.

This domain, the most famous in Spain, was founded by Eloy Lecanda in 1864. Throughout its history, the domain has belonged to various families, but has always preserved its uniqueness and class. It all started in 1848 when Don Toribio Lecanda, a Basque, helped Marqués de Valbuena out of financial difficulties by buying a 2000 ha property. When Don Eloy Lecanda inherited this domain from his father on July 22, 1859, he decided to do something with it. In 1864 he goes to Bordeaux and buys 18,000 vines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec, Merlot and Pinot Noir. When he planted it on his Finca Vega Sicilia, it was an act of infatuation for many. After all, the domain mainly lived from cattle breeding, orchards and the sale and production of ceramics.
When the Lecanda family also got into financial difficulties, a new lender made its appearance: the Herrero family. 15 years later, Antonio Herrero Velázquez acquired the entire domain. In 1905, management of the domain came into the hands of Txomin Garramiola. This Basque actually worked for the Riojabodega Cosme Palacio. Since it was difficult for him to continue to supply wine to his customers in Bilbao due to the phyloxera - Bilbao was at that time the nerve center for Spanish wines, especially those of Rioja - he suggested to the sons of Antonio Herrero, who had been responsible since 1901 goods for the domain, to rent the bodega to him for a term of 10 years. Palacio took Txomin as a confidant, he would make the wine. The style of this wine would be in line with the wine that Cosme Palacio customers were used to, i.e. Rioja style: long aging in wood and bottling when the orders arrived, not before. The domain then listened to the name Bodegas de Lecanda.
When the lease expired in 1915 and the domain was renamed Hijos de Antonio Herrero, the 3 brothers were able to convince Txomin to stay on. After all, it was a matter of prestige that the wine would be made further. From 1915, Txomin was able to make its own wines, which no longer served to compensate for the shortage of Rioja at Cosme Palacio. This meant the birth of Vega Sicilia Unico and Valbuena.
At that time, the Herrero family moved in the highest Spanish circles of aristocracy and industrialists. The bodega was a heavily loss-making activity, but the other revenues from the Finca had to close this gap. It was never his intention to make Vega Sicilia a wine that would be commercialized. After all, the wine was not for sale… and only served as prestige for the Herrero family. The wine could only be bought with friendship and not with money. If someone wanted to buy a bottle without being friends with the Herreros, they asked a price that was out of all proportion at the time. This is how the myth of the most expensive wine in Spain was slowly born.

The wine enjoyed great success throughout Europe in the 1920s. In 1933 Txomin dies and in 1952 the domain is sold to Prodes, a seed factory. However, there was no longer the enthusiasm of the Herrero brothers. Until the arrival of Jesús Anadón, who remained the administrator of the domain until its sale to the current owners.
The sale to the Alvarez family in 1982 was the best thing that could have happened to Vega Sicilia. The family bought Finca Vega Sicilia as an investment - the Eulen family business is mainly engaged in industrial cleaning and security services and is one of Spain's largest groups of companies. They realized that the thread of evolution had to be picked up and have invested in this field ever since. Pablo Alvarez heads the group Vega Sicilia.
Since 1998, Xavier Ausas has been head of the technical staff as an oenologist. Today Vega Sicilia is more alive than ever!
Varieties

The entire domain covers 1000 ha. 250 ha of these are vineyards, divided among Tinto fino (200 ha), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. A meticulous system was introduced for viticulture whereby production can never exceed 22 hl/ha (max. 2 kg of grapes per stick). The grapes are never harvested below 13% alcohol. 2200 sticks per ha are planted. The oldest vines are used for the Unico, the others for the Valbuena. The latter also contains more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Unico is just the opposite.
The whole area has a clay-limestone soil, with some mixed zones and part alluvial with sandy soils and boulders (from the domain towards the Duero). The climate is continental with Atlantic influences. Little precipitation (never more than 500 mm). On average 2200 hours of sunshine. The proximity of the Duero ensures that the morning dew has a refreshing effect on the vineyards.

The secret of Vega Sicilia lies in a complex of factors:

- Quality of the soil
- Climate (micro and meso)
- Large percentage of very old sticks
- Very low yield, 8 to 20 hectoliters per hectare, depending on the year
- Very long aging in barrel
- Perfectionism in all aspects

 

 

Attachments

chevron-down