Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2014
The Vega Sicilia estate covers about 1,000 hectares. Of these, 210 are under vine, with 19 different types of soil, divided into 64 plots with their own unique characteristics. The influence of the Duero River and the passage of time have played a decisive role in the extraordinary development of these soils.
Given the abundant production in 2014, green pruning and crop thinning had to be more stringent. But years like this, when the weather is on our side, are usually generous in terms of both quantity and quality. The grapes from these 40 hectares are harvested for Unico and aged for at least 10 years in oak and in bottle, one of the longest ageing periods in the world. In the first stage, we use 225-litre French and American oak barrels to shape the wine; and in the second stage, we use 22,000-litre wooden vats. It is a long and complex but nevertheless wonderful process of wine construction, as the wine takes on infinite nuances, precision, texture and depth over time. Thanks to this amazing terroir and unique ageing, our wines become eternal as they mature.
The first impression on the nose is more subdued in the 2014 vintage, but the palate is ample, rich and luscious. This is a wine with structure while also silky in texture, with concentration as well as finesse. It is a pleasure to drink it now, but it will be timeless as it evolves in the bottle.