2010 Vega Sicilia Unico

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Type of Wine | Red |
---|---|
Country | Spain |
Region | |
Appellation | Ribera del Duero |
Winery | |
Vintage | 2010 |
Grape | , |
Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14%) |
Drink window | 2020 - 2042 |
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Description
The history of Vega Sicilia and the Ribera del Duero region
Vega Sicilia was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who introduced Bordeaux grape varieties to Spain. Since 1982, the estate has been owned by the Álvarez family, who combine tradition with modern techniques. Located in Ribera del Duero, the estate benefits from a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 700 to 900 meters, which gives the wines complexity and freshness.
Types of wines from Vega Sicilia
Vega Sicilia produces three main labels: Valbuena 5°, Unico and Unico Reserva Especial. The Valbuena 5° is relatively young, while Unico matures for years before release. The Reserva Especial is a blend of several vintages. All are built on Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), often supplemented with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
2010 Vega Sicilia Unico: grape varieties, harvest and vinification
The 2010 Unico consists of 94% Tinto Fino and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were harvested by hand and carefully selected. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, followed by an exceptionally long maturation of almost six years in French and American oak barrels, including large foudres. The wine then rested in the bottle for a few more years before release.
Color, aroma and taste of 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico
The wine shows a deep garnet red color with ruby reflections. In the nose aromas of black cherries, cassis, tobacco, graphite, cedar and fine spices. The taste is layered, with velvety tannins, refreshing acids and a long, harmonious finish. The 2010 Unico has an alcohol percentage of 14.5% and a great storage capacity.
Would you like to order wines from 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico online?
The 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico is stored with us in a professionally conditioned Wine Warehouse. If you choose to collect the wine, you will often receive an attractive discount. You will see this directly on the checkout page when you choose 'Collect'. We are located in Dordrecht, right next to the A16, with ample parking. Click here for our address .
Full reviews from wine journalists such as Robert Parker, James Suckling and Vinous can be read via the links next to the image. This service is free for our customers.
Need advice on choosing the right wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier . Free of charge for Grandcruwijnen customers.
Wine and food pairings with 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico
Grilled entrecote with rosemary and garlic: The power of the meat is balanced by the tannins and depth of the wine.
Rack of lamb with roasted vegetables: Earthy flavours and juicy lamb match the layering of the Unico perfectly.
Beef stew with mushrooms and red wine sauce: The intensity of the stew is enhanced by the rich structure of the wine.
Roast duck with orange sauce: The fat of the duck and the freshness of the sauce play perfectly with the acidity of the wine.
Truffle risotto with Parmesan cheese (luxury combination): Creaminess and earthy notes elegantly support the complexity of the wine.
Grilled tuna with sesame and soy glaze (surprising combination): The umami of the tuna and soy go well with the ripe notes of the Unico.
Specifications
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 | 2010 |
Drinking as of | 2020 |
Drinking till | 2042 |
Alcohol % | 14 |
Alcohol free/low | No |
Content | 0.75 ltr |
Oak aging | Yes |
Sparkling | No |
Dessert wine | No |
Closure | Cork |
Parker rating | 97 |
James Suckling rating | 99 |
Vinous rating | 98 |
Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Kruidig, Rood fruit, Tannines, Vol |
Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Professional Reviews
Parker
Rating
97
Release Price
$550
Drink Date
2020 - 2040
Reviewed by
Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date
30th Dec 2019
Source
Issue 246 End of December 2019, The Wine Advocate
I was surprised by the aromatics of the 2010 Único, cropped from a powerful and concentrated year that delivered this blend of 94% Tinto Fino (aka Tempranillo) and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14.5% alcohol and a highish pH of 3.87. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in a combination of French and American oak barrels and 20,000-liter oak vats and aged for almost six years. It feels quite ripe and somehow old style, dominated by ripe black fruit, with a rustic and earthy touch. It has an ample palate, concentrated and powerful, with some earthy tannins. 85,185 bottles, 3,362 magnums, 228 double magnums and 36 Imperials were produced. It was bottled in June 2016.
At Vega Sicilia they have increased the capacity to age wines with more 40,000-liter oak vats. The Único released in 2020 will be the 2010, a vintage that raised high expectations. This year I was pleasantly surprised by the Reserva Especial, which despite the fact that the blend is of recent-ish vintages, it seems to have inherited the character of the wines from yesteryear.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Wine Spectator
BODEGAS VEGA SICILIA
Ribera del Duero Unico 2010
Score: 96
Release Price $540
Country Spain
Region Spain
Insider Issue: Apr 1, 2020
Tasting Note
This red is dense, balanced and complex. Plum, dried currant, cigar box, leather and mineral flavors mingle over ripe, well-integrated tannins. Orange peel acidity keeps this lively through the long, floral finish. Harmonious and graceful, in a classic style. Tinto Fino and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2030. 7,000 cases made, 740 cases imported. — TM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
98
Drinking Window
2027 - 2045
From: The Vast Bounty of Central Spain (Feb 2021)
Opaque violet. Intensely perfumed, expansive black and blue fruit preserve, potpourri, Moroccan spice and botanical herb scents are complemented by smoky mineral and vanilla flourishes. Sappy, penetrating and deeply concentrated on the palate, offering vibrant, mineral-laced black currant, bitter cherry, chewing tobacco, mocha and floral pastille flavors that deepen and turn sweeter on the back half. Shows superb focus and vibrant, floral lift on the wonderfully long, youthfully tannic finish, which leaves behind cherry liqueur, candied violet and spicecake notes.
- By Josh Raynolds on December 2020
For decades the fame of this bodega, established in 1864, has extended far outside the region and Spain. It produces some of the most coveted and age-worthy wine in the world. While wines from decades past (I’ve had the good luck to taste and drink wines going back to 1921) were almost always excellent to otherworldly, things really kicked up when the Alvarez family purchased the estate in 1982. Under the watch of Pablo Alvarez and with massive investment in the vineyards and winery, the quality of the wines being made here now is both consistent and astoundingly high. In the context of First Growth Bordeaux, Grand Cru Burgundy and even some Napa Valley wines, the legendary Unico, which ages in barrels for ten years before bottling, is actually a great value. It has always garnered the attention of well-heeled collectors, and rightfully so. But it’s the increasing quality of the Valbuena that has intrigued me over the years. It’s quite a different wine from Unico, with more power and, relatively speaking, forward fruit. On its own it’s one of the great wines of Spain, but it seems to still, undeservedly, be standing in the daunting shadow of Unico, at least in the label-buyers’ eyes. These current vintages are the best young wines that I have ever had here, and for those with the means, I cannot recommend them highly enough. The multi-vintage Unico Reserva Especial, which is always composed of wines from three different, complementary years, is another beast entirely. Released when they’re believed to be approachable, these complex wines age effortlessly and are quite intriguing, even if they aren’t easy to find.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
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Wijnhuis
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
The history of Vega Sicilia and the Ribera del Duero region
Vega Sicilia was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who introduced Bordeaux grape varieties to Spain. Since 1982, the estate has been owned by the Álvarez family, who combine tradition with modern techniques. Located in Ribera del Duero, the estate benefits from a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 700 to 900 meters, which gives the wines complexity and freshness.
Types of wines from Vega Sicilia
Vega Sicilia produces three main labels: Valbuena 5°, Unico and Unico Reserva Especial. The Valbuena 5° is relatively young, while Unico matures for years before release. The Reserva Especial is a blend of several vintages. All are built on Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), often supplemented with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
2010 Vega Sicilia Unico: grape varieties, harvest and vinification
The 2010 Unico consists of 94% Tinto Fino and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were harvested by hand and carefully selected. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, followed by an exceptionally long maturation of almost six years in French and American oak barrels, including large foudres. The wine then rested in the bottle for a few more years before release.
Color, aroma and taste of 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico
The wine shows a deep garnet red color with ruby reflections. In the nose aromas of black cherries, cassis, tobacco, graphite, cedar and fine spices. The taste is layered, with velvety tannins, refreshing acids and a long, harmonious finish. The 2010 Unico has an alcohol percentage of 14.5% and a great storage capacity.
Would you like to order wines from 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico online?
The 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico is stored with us in a professionally conditioned Wine Warehouse. If you choose to collect the wine, you will often receive an attractive discount. You will see this directly on the checkout page when you choose 'Collect'. We are located in Dordrecht, right next to the A16, with ample parking. Click here for our address .
Full reviews from wine journalists such as Robert Parker, James Suckling and Vinous can be read via the links next to the image. This service is free for our customers.
Need advice on choosing the right wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier . Free of charge for Grandcruwijnen customers.
Wine and food pairings with 2010 Vega Sicilia Unico
Grilled entrecote with rosemary and garlic: The power of the meat is balanced by the tannins and depth of the wine.
Rack of lamb with roasted vegetables: Earthy flavours and juicy lamb match the layering of the Unico perfectly.
Beef stew with mushrooms and red wine sauce: The intensity of the stew is enhanced by the rich structure of the wine.
Roast duck with orange sauce: The fat of the duck and the freshness of the sauce play perfectly with the acidity of the wine.
Truffle risotto with Parmesan cheese (luxury combination): Creaminess and earthy notes elegantly support the complexity of the wine.
Grilled tuna with sesame and soy glaze (surprising combination): The umami of the tuna and soy go well with the ripe notes of the Unico.
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 | 2010 |
Drinking as of | 2020 |
Drinking till | 2042 |
Alcohol % | 14 |
Alcohol free/low | No |
Content | 0.75 ltr |
Oak aging | Yes |
Sparkling | No |
Dessert wine | No |
Closure | Cork |
Parker rating | 97 |
James Suckling rating | 99 |
Vinous rating | 98 |
Tasting Profiles | Complex, Droog, Houtgerijpt, Krachtig, Kruidig, Rood fruit, Tannines, Vol |
Drink moments | Indruk maken, Lekker luxe, Open haard |
Parker
Rating
97
Release Price
$550
Drink Date
2020 - 2040
Reviewed by
Luis Gutiérrez
Issue Date
30th Dec 2019
Source
Issue 246 End of December 2019, The Wine Advocate
I was surprised by the aromatics of the 2010 Único, cropped from a powerful and concentrated year that delivered this blend of 94% Tinto Fino (aka Tempranillo) and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 14.5% alcohol and a highish pH of 3.87. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in a combination of French and American oak barrels and 20,000-liter oak vats and aged for almost six years. It feels quite ripe and somehow old style, dominated by ripe black fruit, with a rustic and earthy touch. It has an ample palate, concentrated and powerful, with some earthy tannins. 85,185 bottles, 3,362 magnums, 228 double magnums and 36 Imperials were produced. It was bottled in June 2016.
At Vega Sicilia they have increased the capacity to age wines with more 40,000-liter oak vats. The Único released in 2020 will be the 2010, a vintage that raised high expectations. This year I was pleasantly surprised by the Reserva Especial, which despite the fact that the blend is of recent-ish vintages, it seems to have inherited the character of the wines from yesteryear.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
James Suckling
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Wine Spectator
BODEGAS VEGA SICILIA
Ribera del Duero Unico 2010
Score: 96
Release Price $540
Country Spain
Region Spain
Insider Issue: Apr 1, 2020
Tasting Note
This red is dense, balanced and complex. Plum, dried currant, cigar box, leather and mineral flavors mingle over ripe, well-integrated tannins. Orange peel acidity keeps this lively through the long, floral finish. Harmonious and graceful, in a classic style. Tinto Fino and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2030. 7,000 cases made, 740 cases imported. — TM
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Vinous
98
Drinking Window
2027 - 2045
From: The Vast Bounty of Central Spain (Feb 2021)
Opaque violet. Intensely perfumed, expansive black and blue fruit preserve, potpourri, Moroccan spice and botanical herb scents are complemented by smoky mineral and vanilla flourishes. Sappy, penetrating and deeply concentrated on the palate, offering vibrant, mineral-laced black currant, bitter cherry, chewing tobacco, mocha and floral pastille flavors that deepen and turn sweeter on the back half. Shows superb focus and vibrant, floral lift on the wonderfully long, youthfully tannic finish, which leaves behind cherry liqueur, candied violet and spicecake notes.
- By Josh Raynolds on December 2020
For decades the fame of this bodega, established in 1864, has extended far outside the region and Spain. It produces some of the most coveted and age-worthy wine in the world. While wines from decades past (I’ve had the good luck to taste and drink wines going back to 1921) were almost always excellent to otherworldly, things really kicked up when the Alvarez family purchased the estate in 1982. Under the watch of Pablo Alvarez and with massive investment in the vineyards and winery, the quality of the wines being made here now is both consistent and astoundingly high. In the context of First Growth Bordeaux, Grand Cru Burgundy and even some Napa Valley wines, the legendary Unico, which ages in barrels for ten years before bottling, is actually a great value. It has always garnered the attention of well-heeled collectors, and rightfully so. But it’s the increasing quality of the Valbuena that has intrigued me over the years. It’s quite a different wine from Unico, with more power and, relatively speaking, forward fruit. On its own it’s one of the great wines of Spain, but it seems to still, undeservedly, be standing in the daunting shadow of Unico, at least in the label-buyers’ eyes. These current vintages are the best young wines that I have ever had here, and for those with the means, I cannot recommend them highly enough. The multi-vintage Unico Reserva Especial, which is always composed of wines from three different, complementary years, is another beast entirely. Released when they’re believed to be approachable, these complex wines age effortlessly and are quite intriguing, even if they aren’t easy to find.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua...
Exclusive Content
Sign in to unlock professional wine reviews from world-renowned critics
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