2013 Unico, Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero, Spain

OVERVIEW

Vega Sicilia is considered a 'First Growth' of Spain and the Unico is their flagship wine. This is one of the top wines of the Ribera del Duero region, near the city of Valladolid in northwest Spain. Vega Sicilia was founded over 150 years ago and the Unico is their emblematic wine, only produced in the best years and from the oldest vineyards of Vega Sicilia. It is a blend of primarily Tinto Fino (aka Tempranillo) and a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged for 10 years, first in barrel for 7 years and then in bottle for a further 3 years. The result is a very special and unique wine. 

CRITIC REVIEWS

Speaking as someone who has tasted many 2013 Bordeaux wines this year, at the 10 Years On point, this is an exceptional example of the vintage, nuanced, compex, light on its feet, singular and utterly delicious. This is what oyster shell salinity means in a wine, so savoury that it has edges of soy, soot, smoke, lightly smoked spice, fattening up to creme de cassis, blackberry pastille and liqourice through the mid palate, concentrated with huge length and grip, and a crushed rose petal finish. Just so good. Waves of flavour keep you glued to the glass. 33 year old vines, planted 2,222v/ha, up to 900 altitude. The ageing process is a thing of beauty also - Unico starts in barrel for the first year, then the blend begins before part of the wine is put back into barrel and other parts into larger casks. At the end of the second year they decide upon the final blend, and back into casks for another three years, racking once a year, then finally into bottle for 4.5 years before release, adding up to somewhere close to 10 years after harvest before it appears on the market (with the magnum version held back until 2015). 98 Points. Jane Anson

FOOD PAIRING INSPIRATION

This top end Ribera del Duero wine will pair well with grilled steaks, Moroccan tagine or lamb cutlets. 

PRODUCER NOTES

Spain's most prestigious producer, Vega Sicilia is a Spanish icon. Founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, he arrived in the region with Bordeaux cuttings of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon and planted them together with Tinto Fino in these hallowed soils. This act laid the first stone in building the reputation of the wines of Ribera del Duero today.

This traditional estate strives for excellence at every turn with painstaking selection in the vineyard and huge investment in oak in the winery. All the wines of Vega Sicilia, from Unico to Valbuena 5° to Alion all share these exacting standards and it's this insistence on quality that has helped Vega Sicilia develop their cult like status among oenophiles today.

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SERVICE AND STORAGE TIPS

We recommend this wine be served at 18C. The wine does not need to be decanted and is drinking well now but will last and evolve over the next 40-60 years. 

DELIVERY INFORMATION

Delivery is free when you spend over £150. For orders under this amount then a £9.99 delivery charge will be applied.

We use a tracked DPD delivery service who provide text and email tracking updates.

Every bottle sold by CoolerSomm is subject to our quality guarantee. If a wine is corked or faulty, we will replace it.

2012 Unico, Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero, Spain