Vega Sicilia Unico 2000

Vega Sicilia is regarded as the god father of Spanish wine.  These wines require a huge amount of time in the cellar to approach their peak.  They also spend up to 15 years in barrel before bottling but they have been cutting back a bit on the amount of wood.  The Vega Sicilia vineyard is planted to a unique mix of Bordeaux and more traditional Spanish varieties which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo and Malbec. Unico is now released as a ten year old and is predominately Tempranillo with a little Cabernet adding interest.

Vega Sicilia Unico 2000

The wine possesses inordinate power yet retains a lightness of body.  There is a regal quality about it that draws me in but the tannin structure is the one that is most to die for.  A wealth of tannin explodes in my mouth, enveloping every nook and cranny and still the structure never distracts from the enjoyment of the wine.  The flavours are locked up tight at this stage of the development but what is does show is a mix of dark fruits with earth, porcini mushrooms, spice and a hint of summer flowers.  Maybe that is just me looking forward to the summer days ahead but for the life of me there is a whiff of flowers emerging in my glass.  There is a little bit of sweet oak evident but for a wine that spent 7 years in oak you could only just notice it.  

Alcohol: 14%
Price: $700
Rated: 96++
Drink: 2025 - 2060
Importer: Negociants