Bodegas Vega Sicilia is one of the absolute top ten in the wine world and has long been an icon of wine country Spain. Founded in 1864. still alive and kicking, also leading in quality and one of the most modern wine companies in the country. This is partly due to the current owners, the Alvarez family, who bought Vega Sicilia in 1982 and have since improved the quality of both the vineyard and the bodega with unremitting investments, in better and worse times. At the same time they bought assets in Toro, Pintia and in Ribera del Duero, Alion.

The Vega Sicilia Especial is year-less wine is a blend of actually the best barriques Unico with the objective to make an extremely consistent wine and master it in Vega Sicilia. The Vega Sicilia Especial is yearless wine is a blend of actually the best barriques Unico with the objective to make an extremely consistent wine and master it in Vega Sicilia. The Especial from Vega Sicilia release 2019 is a blend of 2006, 2007 and 2009 volume. It is most Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a classic profile, with polished tannins and nice subtlety. The nose is complex with obvious similarities with the regular Único, with beautiful herbs and something earthy which will cause even more complexity over the years. The taste is medium-bodied with a lively acidity.

99/100 - James Suckling
95/100 - Parker

Reserva Especial
This wine is composed from a selection of at least three different top years Unico from tinto fino and cabernet sauvignon. This is unique in Spain and possibly even throughout the world. The most recent volume is at least ten years old and ripens on wood until assembly and bottling takes place. The Reserva Especial is produced in very small quantities and gets exceptionally high scores in the trade press every time. Thanks to the grapes from old vines with a particularly high natural concentration, this excellent wine can retain its fruit and great complexity and develop length.

Spain's undisputed equivalent of a Premier Cru is Vega Sicilia. Since the planting of the first vines about a century and a half ago, the bodega acquired an enormous reputation. Vega Sicilia is especially famous for the concentration, longevity and unique character of its wines. After the designation of origin in 1982, Vega Sicilia became part of the DO Ribera del Duero.

Grape varieties
The estate on the Duero River is one thousand hectares. Of these, two hundred hectares have been planted with vines. The majority is tinto fino, the local version of the tempranillo. But there are also sticks with cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and even albillo, a local, white grape variety. The tinto fino and albillo grow in gobelet form, while the Bordeaux varieties are led along guy wire in guyot.

Patience
Nine years ago a small area was also planted with the grape varieties chardonnay, viognier, marsanne and rousanne. It will be a while before we can look forward to white Vega Sicilia: Vega only wants to release wine from older sticks.

Late harvest
The soil in the area is strongly calcareous with a sediment of clay and pebbles. There is a typical continental climate with warm days and, even in the summer, cold nights. This is due to its location: seven hundred meters above sea level. That is why the grapes are only harvested very late in the season and they have a lot of time to form aromas. Often the harvest is not received until mid-November.