1996 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único

Community Tasting Notes (116) Avg Score: 94.2 points

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  2/23/2024 - essenceofreal wrote: 94 Points

  bit of an enigma.
  
  decanted at 3pm. was wow!! after 2.5 hrs put in the bottle and off to Aurus in Napa. great dinner. but the wine seemed to have lost some of its luster.
  
  I'd say 96 upon opening. cork and fill perfect. but much of the fruit disappointed quicker than I would have expected. this bottle has been in my cellar for many moons so i'm at a loss as to why this bottle did not expand better, but rather took a step back over time. GR!
  
  regardless, still an overall nice experience. the mouthfeel was very velvety. super smooth with great balance. just lacked complexity to give it more score. was there upon opening. i have 2 more will get to them whenever i feel the time is right.

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  1/27/2024 - the player Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Beautiful Unico. Decanted and aerated for 45 minutes and drank over 90 minutes. Deep ruby red color, viscous and dense body a real sight for sore eyes. On the nose perfumed raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, toffee, some cola notes, mocha, mature tobacco leaf, some game and garrigue. Fat entry on the palate, powerful lift mid palate, lots of dark berries, and a long fat finish with tannins present. Very complex and should have left longer in the decanter.

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  9/11/2023 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points

  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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  2/18/2023 - M.Batard wrote: 94 Points

  Decanted 45 minutes before dinner. Dark crimson color. Plum and blackberry with savory herb secondary flavors. Silky and smooth, but seemingly hasn't aged since I last opened a bottle six years ago! Paired beautifully with pork and olive stew.

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  1/30/2023 - Jacek P wrote: 96 Points

  dark, ruby, amazing, full extensive bouquet, . Full bodied and powerfull, scents of creme and dark cherry. Harmonious and well structured. Impressive finish.

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