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.

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.

"The 2014 Único was produced with grapes from 40 hectares of vines selected from the 210 hectares the winery has. The grapes were picked between September 20th and October 3rd, and the blend was 94% Tinto Fino and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts, with malolactic in stainless steel. The first part of the aging was in 225-liter barrels and the second one in 20,000-liter oak vats, and the élevage lasts 10 years between oak and bottle. It's a year that combines power and elegance; it's concentrated but has subtleness. I had a unique opportunity to taste it from magnum one year ago and was truly impressed. This tasting was consistent with those sensations. 2014 was a good vintage in the zone, a year with good rain and a big crop, not as powerful as 2012 or 2015 but a year with finesse. The wine feels very balanced, lower in alcohol and with integrated oak, crunchy, fresh and still young. It feels quite classical; it's fine-boned, elegant but also powerful, more like the Únicos from yesteryear. It has to be one of the finest vintages of recent times. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.85 and five grams of acidity measured in tartaric acid per liter of wine." Wine Advocate 98