Vega Sicilia Do Ribera del Duero UNICO 2015

One of Spain’s best-known and beloved wines, this vintage, the 2015 Unico, like always, saw five years of aging in barrel and vat and another five years in bottle. It was bottled in May 2021. Blending 96% Tempranillo and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vega Sicilia estate, usually from the same plots of 40+-year-old vines, it opens in expressive, juicy, lush pomegranate and dark cherry carried by supple, silky tannins and bright acidity. The length and structure are remarkable. The grapes were harvested “al dente,” when they were crisp, fresh, and juicy, perfectly ripe. There is tremendous balance between the wine’s acidity and freshness and full-bodied power. This will age 60 years and is winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga's first vintage.

The 2015 Vega Sicilia Unico is Tinta del País with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ribera del Duero. The nose is aromatically complex, with balsamic notes, forest floor, delicate herbs such as rosemary and thyme and an evolved profile showing vanilla, maraschino cherry and dried fruit. Silky and layered, the palate features chalky tannins and a smooth texture, offering depth and nuance. Subtle oak, fresh plum and herbs combine for a long, refined finish. A classic expression of elegant Ribera.

Sit back and enjoy this Unico if you are going to open it now. Exotic spices and touches of balsam and cumin come up after the unleashing of blackberries, chocolate, iron, incense and violets. So fine-grained and polished, with a mouthful of velvety tannins that are so cohesive, close-knit and still reactive. Impeccably structured, it’s vertical before going extremely long and linear. A consistent Unico that seduces with a hint of iron-like minerality and rusticity. Drink on release or hold.

The 2015 Único comes from a year with fast ripening, and they had to harvest early to preserve the fruit’s crunchiness. This was the first harvest made 100% by winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga. The aging lasted five years in oak: one and a half years in barrels and three and a half years in oak vats. It’s a great vintage, produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s ripe, with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.88 and 4.8 grams of acidity. The grapes were cooled for one day, then the bunches were selected and fermented with a pied de cuve in vats. It’s a ripe and concentrated vintage, with a classic modern Vega Sicilia nose that’s expressive, aromatic and open, with notes of dark cherries, spice and cigar box. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with abundant fine-grained tannins, good balance and the rustic elegance of the best Ribera del Duero. In 2015, they produced 84,184 bottles, 3,645 magnums and some larger formats—less than in 2014, which was the largest production of Único ever. It was bottled in May 2021.