"A benchmark for the world’s great red wines" - Wine Advocate
The greatest wine from a great wine producing country. This is the release from Spain. Jose Penin, while writing about Ribera del Duero in his 2012 Guide to Spanish Wine tells it straight: 'Vega Sicilia monopolizes the best ratings.'
Pintia (the Toro) is 100% Tempranillo, like Alion. Grown at lower altitude, its warmth and opulence contrast Alion's high altitude focus. In 2008, we found Pintia to have great acidity and a freshness seldom found in its appellation, with stunning grip to match.
Alion seems to sell itself these days, an affordable opportunity to own some of the very best Tempranillo. The 2008 is a food wine packed with stony minerality - a wine to contemplate, with enough fruit to be a lot of fun as well.
Valbuena has rightfully gained its own following, a wine distinctively from Vega's vineyards, coming from younger vines and with a higher proportion of Merlot than Cabernet. Aged three years in barrel and a further two in bottle, the baby 2007 Valbuena is approachable now with a long life ahead of it.
The Unico Reserva '02 is a different kind of animal this year - a little softer, very mineral and approachable in its youth by Vega standards. Regular followers will know that there was no Unico Reserva made in 2001 and very little of the 2002 produced, making this a seriously collectible wine.
The 2012 release of the Unico Reserva Especial is a blend of 1991, 1994 and 1999 and is, predictably, profound. The best NV red wine on the planet. Those lacking the patience to wait thirty years for wines in the same league to mature would be foolish to miss it. /CC
