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Pre-shipment offer 18 April 2008 |
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`Inserting a bottle of Unico into a flight of equivalent clarets would be like inviting a porn star to a vicar`s tea-party.` - Neal Martin, erobertparker.com
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A superficial look at this quintessentially Spanish estate`s operations and its history would indicate a plethora of grape varieties, many of them French.
The French connection dates back to Vega`s conversion from cattle ranch to wine estate and brandy distillery, and now those vines account for less than 15% of plantings.
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Almost all the other exotic sounding plantings in the vineyards are synonyms of top Spanish variety Tempranillo.
These guys are Tempranillo specialists through and through. They exploit the complexity and ageing ability of the grape to enormous effect, whether in Pintia or Unico, with some of the estate wines spending Guigal-like epochs in barrel.
They`ve obviously never heard of management accountants as the wines are not released for years in some cases.
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Truly part of contemporary Spain`s cultural fabric, it is spoken of in the same terms as Velasquez, redolent of Spain in its dark complexity. Have dinner with King Juan Carlos and you are most likely to find this served. /CW
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Offered subject to remaining unsold for shipment late spring. Prices in brackets are anticipated retail.
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| Pintia Toro |
Score
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Cs
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Bt sz |
Cs ib
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Bt inc
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| 2005 | Pintia |
95 JM
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12x
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75cl |
£270
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(£33.95)
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95 JM
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1x
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150cl |
£50
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(£76.95)
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| Alion Ribera del Duero |
Score
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Cs
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Bt sz |
Cs ib
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Bt inc
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| 2004 | Alion |
96 JM
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12x
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75cl |
£330
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(£39.95)
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96 JM
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1x
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150cl |
£60
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(£89.95)
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| Vega Sicilia Ribera del Duero |
Score
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Cs
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Bt sz |
Cs ib
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Bt inc
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| 2003 | Valbuena |
94 JM
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12x
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75cl |
£720
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(£88.95)
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94 JM
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1x
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150cl |
£125
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(£185.00)
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| 1998 | Unico Reserva |
98 JM
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12x
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75cl |
£1600
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(£188.00)
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| 1996 | Unico Reserva |
95 JM
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12x
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75cl |
£1440
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(£176.25)
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| 1994 | Unico Reserva |
98 RP
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1x
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150cl |
£330
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(£450.00)
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| N.V. | Reserva Especial (08) |
99 JM
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3x
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75cl |
£450
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(£199.75)
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JM/RP Jay Miller/Robert Parker, erobertparker.com
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Pintia
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`Bodegas Pintia is owned by Vega Sicilia. Pintia is located further west along the Duero River inside the warmer D.O. of Toro.
The estate owns 96 hectares of land. The first vintage released was the 2001. As for the 2005 Pintia, it is 100% Tinta de Toro aged for one year in new French and American oak.
Opaque purple-colored, it offers a complex perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. This leads to a full-bodied, ripe, layered wine with intense flavors, serious complexity, and exceptional length. It has enough structure to unfold for another 4-6 years and drink well through 2025. 95 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2008
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Alion
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`Bodegas Alion was started by the renowned estate of Vega Sicilia in 1991.
Grapes are sourced from vineyards next to the winery and from Vega Sicilia`s own vineyards at Valbuena.
Eighteen hectares of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) form the actual Alion estate.
The 2004 Alion is inky purple-colored with an alluring perfume of toasty oak, lavender, violets, mineral, blackberry, and blueberry compote.
This is followed by a full-bodied, rich, opulent, wine with incipient complexity, and notes of licorice, mocha, and espresso emerging on the palate.
The lengthy finish is pure and persistent. Give it 3-5 years in the cellar and drink it through 2025. 96 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2008
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Vega Sicilia
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`The 2003 Valbuena is purple-colored and super-fragrant with aromas of pain grille, pencil lead, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a powerful, concentrated wine with an opulent palate-feel, layers of flavor, and beautiful integration of oak, tannin, and acidity, no mean feat in the torrid 2003 vintage. Supple, sweet, and long, this superb effort will evolve for another 4-6 years and drink well through 2025. 94 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2008
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`The 1998 Unico is purple-colored with a complex bouquet of wood smoke, violets, Asian spices, mineral, blueberry, and assorted black fruits.
This is followed by a full-bodied, dense, loaded wine with gobs of sweet fruit, great concentration, and layers of flavor.
It will continue to evolve for another 5-7 years and drink well through 2040+. 98 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2008
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`The 1996 Unico seems more developed aromatically than the 1995 with elements of coffee and mocha but not quite the richness of fruit of the 1995.
It is more supple on the palate but with less depth. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 20 years. 95 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2007
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`This bodega has produced many profound wines, but the 1994 Unico Reserva may be the greatest vintage released since their legendary 1970 and 1968.
A truly prodigious effort, it boasts an opaque ruby/purple color as well as a gorgeously sweet, expansive bouquet of sweet cherries interwoven with black currant, truffle, licorice, and scorched earth aromas.
Full-bodied, potent, powerful, and well-delineated with crisp acidity, sweet but noticeable tannin, a multidimensional, expansive, layered palate feel, and a pure yet refreshing finish, it should be a wine for the history books.
Drink now-2035. 98 points.` - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, June 2005
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`The Reserva Especial is a blend of the best barrels of 1990, 1991, and 1996.
Purple-colored, it delivers an ethereal perfume of smoke, mineral, scorched earth, Asian spices, black currant, and blackberry.
Elegant yet remarkably powerful, this rich, lavish effort seems to linger on the palate for well over one minute.
Although it can certainly be enjoyed now, it has the structure to evolve for another decade and should provide pleasure through 2045.
99 points.` - Jay Miller, Wine Advocate, February 2008
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© Uncorked® 2008 Cs ib prices are in bond (duty unpaid) Vinotheque, exclusive of VAT, per whole, unmixed case unit shown, and no further discounts apply Offered subject to availability E&OE Payment due on receipt of invoice, except for approved trade accounts Delivery London £8.50 plus VAT; Home Counties £12.75 plus VAT; other UK addresses excluding Highlands and islands £17 plus VAT Storage £8.40 plus VAT per standard (9 litre) case per annum for fewer than 25 cases, £7.50 for 25 cases or more, payable in arrears Zoë, Colin, Andrew, Jim, Peter Uncorked Ltd Exchange Arcade Broadgate London EC2M 3WA |
| Tel 020 7638 5998 | Email drink@uncorked.co.uk |
| Web uncorked.co.uk |
Registered in England no 4479554 Registered office 82 St John Street London EC1M 4JN |