6 Day Wine and Gastronomy Tour of Northern Spain
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Structure
Drinking window
Best 10 to 40 years from vintage.
vintage10 yrs40 yrs42 yrs
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.
In the glass
Aroma: dried cherry, leather, tobacco, cedar, dried fig, spice
Palate: dark plum, dried herbs, graphite, chocolate, earthy mineral
A Tinto Fino-led blend aged for a decade or more, building complexity of dried fruit, leather and cedar with a mineral, persistent finish.
What it pairs with
-
Roast suckling pig (cochinillo)
Iberian roast pork's caramelised fat and delicate meat are lifted by the wine's dried-fruit depth and mineral backbone. -
Aged Manchego cheese
Crystalline sheep's milk salt amplifies the wine's cedar and tobacco notes. -
Slow-braised lamb (lechazo)
Castilian slow-cooked lamb finds a structural equal in the wine's firm tannins and earthy complexity.
How to serve Vega Sicilia Unico
Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Roast suckling pig (cochinillo), Aged Manchego cheese, Slow-braised lamb (lechazo). Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
Unico has been released since the early 20th century from the estate founded in 1864. Each vintage is released only when deemed ready by the winery, sometimes a decade or more after harvest.
- 1864: Vega Sicilia estate founded in Valbuena de Duero
- 1915: First documented Unico vintage
- 1982: DO Ribera del Duero granted; Vega Sicilia among founding estates
Facts
- Producer
- Bodegas Vega Sicilia · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Classification
- DO Ribera del Duero
- Oak
- Aged a minimum of 10 years including time in large oak vats, American oak barrels and French barriques before bottle ageing
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- €300-600 at retail
- Drinking window
- 10-40 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1915
Frequently asked about Vega Sicilia Unico
What does Vega Sicilia Unico taste like?
On the nose, dried cherry, leather, tobacco, cedar, dried fig. On the palate, dark plum, dried herbs, graphite, chocolate, earthy mineral. Structurally full-bodied, firm tannins, medium acidity with a very long finish. A Tinto Fino-led blend aged for a decade or more, building complexity of dried fruit, leather and cedar with a mineral, persistent finish.
When should I drink Vega Sicilia Unico?
Drink 10-40 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Vega Sicilia Unico?
Roast suckling pig (cochinillo) is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Aged Manchego cheese and Slow-braised lamb (lechazo). Iberian roast pork's caramelised fat and delicate meat are lifted by the wine's dried-fruit depth and mineral backbone.
What grapes are in Vega Sicilia Unico?
The blend is Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is classified as DO Ribera del Duero.
Tags
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