Acker Vega Sicilia dinner with Pablo Álvarez (Asador Bastian): 53/66/70. Domaine library bottle, where only ~100 bottles remain. Original cork is in pristine condition. Hauntingly and astonishingly young. Fresh red and blue fruits are laced with well-integrated herbs and wood spice. Precise, lingering finish even gains intensity/weight with time. Wow.
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Perhaps the best Unico ever made. Opened for Hezi's 70th. This was utterly amazing, fill to near top shoulder and a very crumbly cork, true for both Hezi and the bottle (lol) This showed a crazy dark fruit perfumed nose with unbelievable wild mint herb aromatics that were completly beguiling. The palate followed with utterly amazing flavors of big dark dried fruits, spices not of this world, crazytown. I was saving this bottle for a long time and it was opened at the perfect time. On a night when we had 1961 Lafite, Latour, 1989 HB, 1948 Yquem and so many other legends, it was unanimous among the 10 of us this was the the clear wine of the night if not of the decade, wow! Sadly, my only bottle and highly unlikely to ever try it again. I have had many many great vintages of Unico over the years and Especial and this one tops them all. Looks like I am not alone for sound bottles based on the notes here.
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Rich fruit with tar black olives, various herbs and pickle, smoke, full bodied with ample fruit and good structure, still quite youthful, well balanced, excellent.
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Vega Sicilia Unico Vertical 1953-1994 (Hosted by Cedric at Eleven Madison Park): Wow! Incredibly elegant and fresh at age 67. Still has superfine tannins to give this gorgeous structure and mouthfeel. Beautiful secondary development but not old or tired at all. Red fruit profile with some hints of strawberries. An awesome wine.
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More cherry and red fruit vs the 42 in the next glass. Complex and highly nuanced with hints of red fruit, leather, mushroom, forrest floor. Almost the perfect compliment of fruit, acid, alcohol and a perfect texture. Hard to believe this is 64 years old but this bottle came with Pablo from his library to the dinner. Well done.
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A higher note and sweeter nose when compared to the '42. Dark floral perfume and distinct oyster shell notes. Opened one hour in advance. Bottle from bodega.
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Granate de media capa con ribete abierto. Nariz especiada, con toques de fruta licorosa, fondo balsámico. Grande y con profundidad. Es boca resulta fresco, reaparecen las sensaciones licorosas, con buenos amargos, tanino delicado, suaves amargos, buena acidez y notable persistencia. Uno de los grandes dando lecciones de presencia...
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Unico tasting (27 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival 2017: clear garnet colored and medium legs; malt, raisin, port wine nose; red berry palate with medium body, round texture and a nice medium finish.
This wine could have been easily in the 90-95 points range have there not been some phewy, spitting encouraging aromas in the mouth.
Like some peer tasters I hoped the flaw aromas would eventually vanish and kept my glass as long as possible. But they stayed and by the end of 5th flight I gave up hope and told the waiter to remove my glass.
Vega Sicilia Unico Dinner with Pablo Alvarez (Betony): Dried florals, rose petals. Quite savoury, jamon. Plenty of black currant and ripe blackberry still present on the nose. Hard to believe that is 63 years old, but this is an original from the Vega Sicilia cellars opened with the owner. Supremely elegant and expressive. Tremendous on the palate and delivers wallop of fruit. Structured up front but melts into a beautiful midpalate and singing finish. Wow, that is still going and excellent. Wine of the night.
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Ficofi. Not sure if that's how it's supposed to be, but raisins on nose and quite Madeirized on palate. More fun to smell than to taste, but complex and interesting.
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These Unicos seem to occupy a very unique space when they have a bit of age - so much more intensity and depth than other Spanish cousins or also Pomerols that I am always a bit reminded of when drinking a good Unico. Yet elegant and timeless.
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After the Montrose '53 Loek presented (blind of course) this wine. No aeration (I agree), so the glass had to do the work. At first the nose showed maderised with a broad middle taste with lots of body and sweetness; than the bouquet opened with more air and the tast showed more minerality but also more hefty acidity. A complex wine, also difficult and with the burden of years.
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/vega-sicilia-unico-1953.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Botella preciosa, en excelentes condiciones: color, etiquetas, nivel muy alto, corcho perfecto, como nuevo. Según los datos recabados estuvo reenchorcado en bodega en 2 ocasiones desde su primer embotellado. De las dos botellas abiertas, la primera botella llevaba un tapón con indicación de 1964 y la segunda de 1981. Sin explicación!!! De color rubí marronoso de capa media, tapado, oscuro, aunque sin precipitados. A diferencia del resto de cosechas del mismo periodo la botella no está tintada. Reflejos cobrizos, con poco brillo. Borde amplio, completamente atejado.
Potente, expresivo, concentradísimo. Al abrir despuntan notas de orden animal, caza, faisandaje, licorosos, fruta negra, tostados, café quemado, regaliz... Interminable, lleno de información, aunque sin el habitual perfil de vino super-educado y elegante que nos solemos encontrar en los Único de los 50. Se suaviza y gira dando notas térreas y una brillante veta mineral que nos conduce sin remedio a la cosecha del 55. Está en su misma línea aunque a menor altura. Y hasta aquí llega!! Aquí echa el ancla y se queda inmóvil con un suave especiado y cuero de fondo.
En boca nos encontramos un Vega Sicilia de corte muy clásico, más armónico, y por tanto convencional, en las formas que en boca: maduro, acariciante, con taninos pulidos, y una gran madurez. El conjunto es la finura misma, sedoso, integrado, sin la mínima arista. Se bebe muy bien pero dista del resto de vinos de esta bodega y época. Mejor beber ya que guardar.
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70% tinto fino, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malbec y merlot. Uva procedente únicamente de viñedos propios. Tras finalizar el proceso de fermentación alcohólica es trasegado a grandes envases de madera, entre 18.000 y 20.000 litros de capacidad, en los que realiza la fermentación maloláctica y permanece durante un mínimo de 5 años. A continuación, pasó 10 años en barrica de roble usados de 225 litros. El resto en botella hasta su comercialización. Producción limitada a 32.000 botellas de 75 cl. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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simply amazing, still youthful and so smooth with all kinds of matured aromas, what a pity I only had one small glass of this. One of the best wine I ever tasted.
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Powerfull nose of animal, leather, ripe strawberries, mushrooms... in the mouth, red berries, prunes, huge acidity, intergated tannins, average lenght, but a hint of burning alcohol...the wine lost a little bit it's balance with age, otherwise holding well
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The label stated "cosecha 1953", yet the cork had "1964" on it. I don't know what is the case (fake bottle?) but the wine was incredible and even more so than the famous 1964 and it surely had the character of Vega Sicilia. Deep garnet with ruby rim. Nose of pronounced intensity, mature and complex. Dark fruit, licorice, leather, earth, coffee, cedar, barnyard and chocolate are some of the aromas of this wine. In the mouth it is full bodied, sweet with high acidity, high warming alcohol and long finish. Elegant and powerful wine. Fantastic.
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Vega-Sicilia library wines with proprieters and Michael Broadbent (Christies NYC): Tawny color once again - the nose offered up a sherry quality. It was slightly oxidized and had some scorched earth tones. The palate was sweet with apparent acid once again. Tasted like a fine salad dressing - very astringent and a hint of licorice as one chap mentioned. A great experience to see how well these wines age.
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Vega Sicilia Masterclass with Xavier Ausas (London): 80% tempranillo, 15% cabernet sauvignon. Coo! A superb mature colour, still with nice depth (more so than the 64). Slight bricking. Very aromatic on the nose with a cedary nuttiness, but still some pretty big fruit showing through. Superb. Elegant. Velvety. So much fruit! Remarkable, nay incredible.
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10/17/2023 - Burgundy Al wrote: 97 Points
Vega Sicilia Unico Dinner with Pablo Alvarez (Asador Bastian - Chicago IL): Directly from Vega, thanks Pedro! Black cherry and plum, hauntingly rich and mature with woodsy spice and braised meat. Ultra elegant from the start, this put on weight with more time in glass. Brilliant wine.
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10/17/2023 - Nanda wrote: 99 Points
Acker Vega Sicilia dinner with Pablo Álvarez (Asador Bastian): 53/66/70. Domaine library bottle, where only ~100 bottles remain. Original cork is in pristine condition. Hauntingly and astonishingly young. Fresh red and blue fruits are laced with well-integrated herbs and wood spice. Precise, lingering finish even gains intensity/weight with time. Wow.
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6/16/2023 - KenK Likes this wine: 100 Points
Perhaps the best Unico ever made. Opened for Hezi's 70th. This was utterly amazing, fill to near top shoulder and a very crumbly cork, true for both Hezi and the bottle (lol) This showed a crazy dark fruit perfumed nose with unbelievable wild mint herb aromatics that were completly beguiling. The palate followed with utterly amazing flavors of big dark dried fruits, spices not of this world, crazytown. I was saving this bottle for a long time and it was opened at the perfect time. On a night when we had 1961 Lafite, Latour, 1989 HB, 1948 Yquem and so many other legends, it was unanimous among the 10 of us this was the the clear wine of the night if not of the decade, wow! Sadly, my only bottle and highly unlikely to ever try it again. I have had many many great vintages of Unico over the years and Especial and this one tops them all. Looks like I am not alone for sound bottles based on the notes here.
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10/17/2020 - Lype Likes this wine:
Rich fruit with tar black olives, various herbs and pickle, smoke, full bodied with ample fruit and good structure, still quite youthful, well balanced, excellent.
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2/19/2020 - nywine68 wrote: 98 Points
Vega Sicilia Unico Vertical 1953-1994 (Hosted by Cedric at Eleven Madison Park): Wow! Incredibly elegant and fresh at age 67. Still has superfine tannins to give this gorgeous structure and mouthfeel. Beautiful secondary development but not old or tired at all. Red fruit profile with some hints of strawberries. An awesome wine.
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9/28/2018 - fcxj wrote: 80 Points
Sour plum juice. Poor. Similar to prior bottle.
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2/22/2018 - Axelpeter wrote: 88 Points
17+ (Schm MöglB), 1gute u 1schlechte Fl, gut und ok
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8/30/2017 - Kemo Sabe Likes this wine: 95 Points
More cherry and red fruit vs the 42 in the next glass. Complex and highly nuanced with hints of red fruit, leather, mushroom, forrest floor. Almost the perfect compliment of fruit, acid, alcohol and a perfect texture. Hard to believe this is 64 years old but this bottle came with Pablo from his library to the dinner. Well done.
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8/29/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
A higher note and sweeter nose when compared to the '42. Dark floral perfume and distinct oyster shell notes. Opened one hour in advance. Bottle from bodega.
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6/24/2017 - PacoHigon Likes this wine:
Granate de media capa con ribete abierto. Nariz especiada, con toques de fruta licorosa, fondo balsámico. Grande y con profundidad. Es boca resulta fresco, reaparecen las sensaciones licorosas, con buenos amargos, tanino delicado, suaves amargos, buena acidez y notable persistencia. Uno de los grandes dando lecciones de presencia...
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2/24/2017 - Fatty Cat wrote: 80 Points
Unico tasting (27 different vintages) at the Rheingau Gourmet Festival 2017:
clear garnet colored and medium legs; malt, raisin, port wine nose; red berry palate with medium body, round texture and a nice medium finish.
This wine could have been easily in the 90-95 points range have there not been some phewy, spitting encouraging aromas in the mouth.
Like some peer tasters I hoped the flaw aromas would eventually vanish and kept my glass as long as possible. But they stayed and by the end of 5th flight I gave up hope and told the waiter to remove my glass.
Vintages 3rd flight: 1922-1940-1942-1953-1960-1961-1962
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11/26/2016 - Axelpeter wrote: 90 Points
18 (Schm MöglB ), Sehr gut trinkbar, immer noch gut balanciert...
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10/19/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
Vega Sicilia Unico Dinner with Pablo Alvarez (Betony): Dried florals, rose petals. Quite savoury, jamon. Plenty of black currant and ripe blackberry still present on the nose. Hard to believe that is 63 years old, but this is an original from the Vega Sicilia cellars opened with the owner. Supremely elegant and expressive. Tremendous on the palate and delivers wallop of fruit. Structured up front but melts into a beautiful midpalate and singing finish. Wow, that is still going and excellent. Wine of the night.
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10/29/2015 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Ficofi. Not sure if that's how it's supposed to be, but raisins on nose and quite Madeirized on palate. More fun to smell than to taste, but complex and interesting.
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10/27/2015 - steinersing wrote: 97 Points
These Unicos seem to occupy a very unique space when they have a bit of age - so much more intensity and depth than other Spanish cousins or also Pomerols that I am always a bit reminded of when drinking a good Unico. Yet elegant and timeless.
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1/11/2015 - FransS wrote: 93 Points
After the Montrose '53 Loek presented (blind of course) this wine. No aeration (I agree), so the glass had to do the work. At first the nose showed maderised with a broad middle taste with lots of body and sweetness; than the bouquet opened with more air and the tast showed more minerality but also more hefty acidity. A complex wine, also difficult and with the burden of years.
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12/6/2014 - Los 12 Glotones wrote: 93 Points
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Els12golafres Wine Tasting Group: http://vinosclasicos.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/vega-sicilia-unico-1953.html
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Botella preciosa, en excelentes condiciones: color, etiquetas, nivel muy alto, corcho perfecto, como nuevo. Según los datos recabados estuvo reenchorcado en bodega en 2 ocasiones desde su primer embotellado. De las dos botellas abiertas, la primera botella llevaba un tapón con indicación de 1964 y la segunda de 1981. Sin explicación!!! De color rubí marronoso de capa media, tapado, oscuro, aunque sin precipitados. A diferencia del resto de cosechas del mismo periodo la botella no está tintada. Reflejos cobrizos, con poco brillo. Borde amplio, completamente atejado.
Potente, expresivo, concentradísimo. Al abrir despuntan notas de orden animal, caza, faisandaje, licorosos, fruta negra, tostados, café quemado, regaliz... Interminable, lleno de información, aunque sin el habitual perfil de vino super-educado y elegante que nos solemos encontrar en los Único de los 50. Se suaviza y gira dando notas térreas y una brillante veta mineral que nos conduce sin remedio a la cosecha del 55. Está en su misma línea aunque a menor altura. Y hasta aquí llega!! Aquí echa el ancla y se queda inmóvil con un suave especiado y cuero de fondo.
En boca nos encontramos un Vega Sicilia de corte muy clásico, más armónico, y por tanto convencional, en las formas que en boca: maduro, acariciante, con taninos pulidos, y una gran madurez. El conjunto es la finura misma, sedoso, integrado, sin la mínima arista. Se bebe muy bien pero dista del resto de vinos de esta bodega y época. Mejor beber ya que guardar.
- - - Wine Info - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
70% tinto fino, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malbec y merlot.
Uva procedente únicamente de viñedos propios. Tras finalizar el proceso de fermentación alcohólica es trasegado a grandes envases de madera, entre 18.000 y 20.000 litros de capacidad, en los que realiza la fermentación maloláctica y permanece durante un mínimo de 5 años. A continuación, pasó 10 años en barrica de roble usados de 225 litros. El resto en botella hasta su comercialización. Producción limitada a 32.000 botellas de 75 cl.
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9/18/2014 - Wine Expresso wrote: 93 Points
At the crazy wine dinner.
Felt the taste of great St Emilion, sweet tannins, deep, muscular, monster wine.
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12/11/2013 - danielk168 Likes this wine: 98 Points
simply amazing, still youthful and so smooth with all kinds of matured aromas, what a pity I only had one small glass of this. One of the best wine I ever tasted.
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10/19/2011 - Philippe_C wrote: 89 Points
Powerfull nose of animal, leather, ripe strawberries, mushrooms... in the mouth, red berries, prunes, huge acidity, intergated tannins, average lenght, but a hint of burning alcohol...the wine lost a little bit it's balance with age, otherwise holding well
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10/21/2009 - Rupert wrote: 94 Points
Thirty vintages of Vega Sicilia Único 1953-1999; 10/20/2009-10/21/2009 (Institute of Directors, London): Not much on the nose, but the palate showed a gorgeous depth of fruit, lots of layers, harmonious, velvet texture. Stunning.
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2/25/2009 - Stefanos T. wrote: 96 Points
The label stated "cosecha 1953", yet the cork had "1964" on it.
I don't know what is the case (fake bottle?) but the wine was incredible and even more
so than the famous 1964 and it surely had the character of Vega Sicilia.
Deep garnet with ruby rim. Nose of pronounced intensity, mature and complex.
Dark fruit, licorice, leather, earth, coffee, cedar, barnyard and chocolate are some of the aromas of this wine.
In the mouth it is full bodied, sweet with high acidity, high warming alcohol and long finish.
Elegant and powerful wine. Fantastic.
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11/30/2004 - jamiekutch wrote: 88 Points
Vega-Sicilia library wines with proprieters and Michael Broadbent (Christies NYC): Tawny color once again - the nose offered up a sherry quality. It was slightly oxidized and had some scorched earth tones. The palate was sweet with apparent acid once again. Tasted like a fine salad dressing - very astringent and a hint of licorice as one chap mentioned. A great experience to see how well these wines age.
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11/22/2003 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 98 Points
Vega Sicilia Masterclass with Xavier Ausas (London): 80% tempranillo, 15% cabernet sauvignon. Coo! A superb mature colour, still with nice depth (more so than the 64). Slight bricking. Very aromatic on the nose with a cedary nuttiness, but still some pretty big fruit showing through. Superb. Elegant. Velvety. So much fruit! Remarkable, nay incredible.
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