Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Thirty vintages of Vega Sicilia Único 1953-1999
Institute of Directors, London
Tasted October 20, 2009 - October 21, 2009 by Rupert with 1,571 views
Introduction
Held over successive evenings, even numbered vintages the first night, odd numbered the second. This was a great opportunity to get a fix on the character of Único and it showed through pretty much every wine - bitter chocolate and dried cherry fruit, sweet on the palate, and ravishing smooth textures. There was amazing consistency. Only the '89 showed any obvious faults, and the taint seemed to me to blow off completely. The 2 examples of the blended reserva were less fresh and compelling than the straight vintages. Pointless to pick a winner from this bunch, so little to choose between them.
Flight 1 (30 notes)
Red
1999 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Vanilla oaky, very smooth, plush mulberry fruit, much less aggressive than the '98. Young, but delicious already
Red
1998 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Bags of vanilla/cocnut/mint on the nose from the oak, very plush. At the outset I found this very attractive, but not very distinctive, but after the other vintages the Unico character became much more apparent.
Red
1996 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
91 points
Discreet, ripe, notes of bitter chocolate, lovely smooth mouthfeel, but the flavour elusive, a strong backbone from the acid, but this was not obtrusive. Like other younger wines, the character of this was easier to perceive after having had the older wines.
Red
1995 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
91 points
Slightly sickly on the nose, ripe and restrained. This comes over as a substantial wine that's a bit mute today.
Red
1994 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Blackberry fruit nose, glossy palate, so luxurious, substantial tannins underneath the gloss, deeper than the '96, more power and yet still elegant.
Red
1991 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Fresh and open on the nose, smooth ripe juicy palate, tight cherry fruit - very fine
Red
1990 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Volatile, lively, spice, cedar, mushrooms, and a musty note too, mouthfilling, oodles of sweet fruit, delicious
Red
N.V. Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1981, 1986, 1990 (1997 Release)
90 points
A blend of 90/86/81. This too was a tad volatile, still very oaky, and grippy, a bit old woody, but plenty of fresh fruit too. Plush and attractive, but not a patch on the straight 1990.
Red
1989 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
At first this seemed to be corked. Returning to it an hour or so later, the taint seemed to have gone and this was a brilliant spicy full throttle Unico - big and open.
Red
1987 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Some cherries on the nose, but tightly wound. Tannic. But this could be very fine with a bit more age. (Several present thought this overly acidic.)
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1986 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
95 points
High-toned assertive ripe chocolatey fragrance, young, vigorous, very spicy, packed with sweet fruit, mouthfilling - sensational
Red
1985 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
94 points
Deep cherry fruit, bright, gorgeously fragrant, very spicy - pure, direct and refined - very lovely.
Red
1983 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Next to the '85, this was more diffuse on the nose, weaker on the palate - light, floaty, but still showing a smooth satiny texture - very attractive
Red
1982 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Sweet fruit nose, spice and tobacco, the palate all melllow sweet fruit, plenty of tannin still there; overshadowed for me by the '82, but this was very charming
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1981 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Tight medicinal nose, some earthiness, but then cherries, cherries all the way - finishing very pure and pretty
Red
1980 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
91 points
Assertive spicy nose, smooth and powerful, the tannins noticeable but not rough - lovely wine but a bit lacking in comparison with the '86 and '82.
Red
1979 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
90 points
Vague nose, warmer and more noticeably alcoholic than the others here tonight, and having relatively less oomph.
Red
1976 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
90 points
Sickly sweet nose, smooth and creamy on the palate, as creamy a wine as I've ever had and I didn't like it at first, but on returning to it it had gone attractively smoky tobacco sweet
Red
1975 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
94 points
Big, chocolately, dense, plush. Still primary, but wow, what substance. Superb
Red
1974 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Deep, smooth, rich and, like all these wines, it showed a silky smooth texture whilst being punchily flavourful.
Red
1973 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
92 points
Dried cherries and cedar. Some fungus, lots of fruit. Grippy. But very satisfying.
Red
1972 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Lighter, sharper and edgier than the other wines, fresh, lifted with sweet cedary fruit, very lively, with strong driving acidity - lovely lovely wine (I was much more enthusiastic about this than most others present)
Red
1970 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
94 points
Dark, vigorous, rich dried cherry chocolate fruit, substantial complex wine, the most powerful tonight
Red
N.V. Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1968, 1970 (1990 Release)
90 points
A blend of 1970 and 1968. Sweet, cherry liqueur chocolate nose, smooth, fruitcake rich, lacked the energy of the straight vintage wines
Red
1969 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
91 points
Spirity whisky nose, dried cherry fruit, a bit pinched, but fine
Red
1968 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Not much on the nose, but gorgeous smooth vigorous sweet fruited wine, very lovely
Red
1967 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
91 points
Old wood and whisky nose, but the palate was all pure cherry fruit. Tannic, but fine.
Red
1966 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
93 points
Browning, but very much alive, the palate all brown sugar sweetness, but animated by the acid core - this lingered beautifully.
Red
1965 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
90 points
This was tiring a bit, though there was still plenty of fresh cherry fruit. Less tannic than the preceding wines.
Red
1953 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
94 points
Not much on the nose, but the palate showed a gorgeous depth of fruit, lots of layers, harmonious, velvet texture. Stunning.
Closing
There is a detailed write-up of this tasting at lindenwilkie.com