Community Tasting Note

Cailles wrote:

Monday, September 11, 2023 - Vega Sicilia Unico Vertical: 10x Vega Sicilia Unico (1985-2006). 7 vintages of Gran Reserva, 3x Reserva Especial. A few conclusions: A) The quality was high in all bottles. Increased complexity and precision, a fine structural framework with silky tannins, pronounced acidity and very good balance. B) The family resemblance across all bottles is high. Unico has a strong and unique DNA with the freshness and tension of a good Bordeaux combined with the softness and silkiness of Tempranillo and a unique flavor profile with lots of fresh blueberries, garrigue, bacon and gentle coffee notes. C) Maturity was well controlled, even in hot years. No hint of over-ripeness. D) The wines are meant to age and certainly need almost 20 years before reaching a first drinking window. The 30 year old bottles seemed young and only the 40 year old ones showed tertiary aromas. E) The quality was high across the board with no weak bottles, but the best wines were the tertiary 1985 (96pts), 1986 (97pts) and 1987 (95pts). The 2006 (95pts) is very promising.

TN: Fine coffee notes, dark berries on the young and vibrant nose. On the palate coffee, toasted oak, ripe dark berries, earthy notes. Some herbs and some tobacco and wet forest floor notes. Just at the beginning of its prime drinking window. The wine does not taste 10 years older than 05/06 we had before. Only with a lot of air it got older, rounder, still fresh, minty notes coming up. All three got softer and rounder.

Decanting: A quick double decant, then the wine rested back in the bottle without cork for roughly five to six hours.

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