This 1989 Unico is a blend of 80% Tinto Fino and 20% Cab Sauv, picked early from 30th September. Receives 3 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle prior to release.
Question with Unico is always, what is the ideal preparation? Some do a full large flask decant for five hours of air, others simply bottle-breathe for 12 or more hours.
Seductive nose with florality and deeper earthy notes, including coffee. Dark ruby-colored with a complex nose, and certainly shows that this can age another 5-20 years. Unico is nothing but legendary with age. Gorgeous, minty bouquet with blackberry and crushed violet flowers too. Interesting hints of strawberry jam as it develops.
Develops nicely with gentle aeration in the glass. Palate is silky smooth, with such purity of fruit - Develops weight towards the finish, What a treat to have one of the 105,860 bottles produced.
Lastly, this is a monumental wine with such memorable aromatics, and that divine textured and layered mouthfeel.
Super generous of LMC for sharing this on the occasion of bro RN's birthday celebration, with the theme "First Growth Specials".
Stoked, KL, Malaysia 1st May 2024
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
At Rare wine dinner (Muru). Funky and red fruity notes on the nose. Medium bodied, smooth and silky, showing subtle mellow red fruit with umami/funky notes and smooth and almost resolved tannins. This was nicely developed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beat the '90 Latour: My contribution. Echoing what PCLIN said, I never had a Unico that moved me but I put the bottle in the capable hands of Dibbs who gave it the ideal preparation, i.e. five hours of air, for it to show wonderfully.
This was the first wine served and it was roaring from the start. Incredibly seductive nose that rivalled the best Burgs or Piedmont - so lifted and floral at the same time with a distinct roasted coffee note. Such a youthful palate that it could have passed off as a wine half its age, silky and pure dark red fruits but with a firm backbone. I value the nose and texture as the most important characteristics in wines and this scored full marks for both in my book. Did fade slightly towards the end of dinner though. Brilliant wine.
Beat the 1990 Latour: Group’s and my WOTN. We had two Unico skeptics in the group and by the end of the night, we had two new converts. The 89 is drinking absolutely beautifully with a flirty Burgundian elegance. What it might lack in concentration vs the Latour it more than made up with its finesse and an absolute knockout of a nose. With higher acidity than the Bordeaux’s, more red fruited and sexy, it defies classification and stands as a truly singular wine that delivers year after year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.
(Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único) Bricked medium dark red violet color; rich, evocative, dried berry, mushroom, autumnal, woodsy, tart nose; youthful, rich, complex, dried berry, tart black fruit, berry palate with medium acidity; long finish 96+ points
(Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único) Vega Sicilia Unico vertical dinner: blackberry, black fruit and dill pickle (American oak) nose; tight, tart blackberry and black fruit palate with high acidity; medium-plus finish
NOTE: Some content is property of Decanter and JamesSuckling.com and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and Winedoctor and Vintage Tastings and Vinous and RJonWine.com.
5/1/2024 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 94 Points
This 1989 Unico is a blend of 80% Tinto Fino and 20% Cab Sauv, picked early from 30th September. Receives 3 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle prior to release.
Question with Unico is always, what is the ideal preparation? Some do a full large flask decant for five hours of air, others simply bottle-breathe for 12 or more hours.
Seductive nose with florality and deeper earthy notes, including coffee.
Dark ruby-colored with a complex nose, and certainly shows that this can age another 5-20 years. Unico is nothing but legendary with age.
Gorgeous, minty bouquet with blackberry and crushed violet flowers too. Interesting hints of strawberry jam as it develops.
Develops nicely with gentle aeration in the glass.
Palate is silky smooth, with such purity of fruit - Develops weight towards the finish, What a treat to have one of the 105,860 bottles produced.
Lastly, this is a monumental wine with such memorable aromatics, and that divine textured and layered mouthfeel.
Super generous of LMC for sharing this on the occasion of bro RN's birthday celebration, with the theme "First Growth Specials".
Stoked, KL, Malaysia
1st May 2024
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2024 - Henman Likes this wine: 92 Points
At Rare wine dinner (Muru). Funky and red fruity notes on the nose. Medium bodied, smooth and silky, showing subtle mellow red fruit with umami/funky notes and smooth and almost resolved tannins. This was nicely developed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/13/2023 - BradE wrote:
Another good vs great bottle of the 89 Unico. (It can be great.)
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2023 - melvinyeowq wrote: 96 Points
Beat the '90 Latour: My contribution. Echoing what PCLIN said, I never had a Unico that moved me but I put the bottle in the capable hands of Dibbs who gave it the ideal preparation, i.e. five hours of air, for it to show wonderfully.
This was the first wine served and it was roaring from the start. Incredibly seductive nose that rivalled the best Burgs or Piedmont - so lifted and floral at the same time with a distinct roasted coffee note. Such a youthful palate that it could have passed off as a wine half its age, silky and pure dark red fruits but with a firm backbone. I value the nose and texture as the most important characteristics in wines and this scored full marks for both in my book. Did fade slightly towards the end of dinner though. Brilliant wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
3/31/2023 - Dibbs Likes this wine: 97 Points
Beat the 1990 Latour: Group’s and my WOTN. We had two Unico skeptics in the group and by the end of the night, we had two new converts. The 89 is drinking absolutely beautifully with a flirty Burgundian elegance. What it might lack in concentration vs the Latour it more than made up with its finesse and an absolute knockout of a nose. With higher acidity than the Bordeaux’s, more red fruited and sexy, it defies classification and stands as a truly singular wine that delivers year after year.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment