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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
WE
98
DC
97
WA
97
VM
96
WS
94
WE
98
Rated 98 by Wine Enthusiast
Lightly baked and hinting at raisin and fine herbs, the bouquet on this benchmark Spanish red enfolds aromas of tobacco, moss and ripe tomato. In the mouth, it's elegant and silky but also full and expansive. Flavors of baked berry fruits, baking spices, herbs and cocoa finish with a light coating of toast. This is an amazingly complete, exemplary wine that's just entering its prime. If past vintages of Unico are an indication, it will age well through 2035. (Editors' Choice) ... More details
Image of bottle
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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml

SKU 873377
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$1139.85
/case
$379.95
/750ml bottle
Quantity
min order 3 bottles
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Professional Ratings
WE
98
DC
97
WA
97
VM
96
WS
94
WE
98
Rated 98 by Wine Enthusiast
Lightly baked and hinting at raisin and fine herbs, the bouquet on this benchmark Spanish red enfolds aromas of tobacco, moss and ripe tomato. In the mouth, it's elegant and silky but also full and expansive. Flavors of baked berry fruits, baking spices, herbs and cocoa finish with a light coating of toast. This is an amazingly complete, exemplary wine that's just entering its prime. If past vintages of Unico are an indication, it will age well through 2035. (Editors' Choice)
DC
97
Rated 97 by Decanter
Recommended by Jasper Morris MW for a tasting we held together, this just jumped out of the glass. I am giving a drinking date from now, as it is getting on towards 17 years old, but it is still extremely young and has decades ahead of it, with bright black cherry and brambled autumnal fruits in the foreground, with tertiary leather and cigar just beginning to spiral upwards. Voluptuous, powerful, layered, complex, with all the subtle toast, tar, chocolate shavings and smoke hints that you would expect from a wine with such a slow and subtle ageing process (in this case 15 months in 20,000-litre vats, 25 month in new barrels, 17 months in older barrels and a further 26 months in large-sized oak vats). I love it when a legendary wine lives up to the hype, and this more than did so. Drinking Window 2020 - 2050.
WA
97
Rated 97 by Wine Advocate
Moving on to the big guns, the 2004 Unico is truly spectacular, in line with the 1970 and 1994. It’s a blend of 87% Tempranillo and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unico has a unique long aging, in the case of the 2004, 15 months in 20,000-liter vats, 25 month in new barrels, 17 months in used barrels and a further 26 months in the big oak vats. It has complex notes of tobacco, cedar wood and blackberries, and shows very good balance between power and elegance as well as perfect ripeness. It has a similar profile to the 1994, but there’s ten years difference in experience and technical knowledge. There is nuance; there is detail, filigree, balance, harmony and complexity. There is a fine texture. In short, it is a great, world-class wine, a superb vintage for Unico. 87,500 bottles, 2,229 magnums, 150 double magnums and 5 Imperials were filled with this extraordinary wine. This is approachable now, but it’s a shame to drink so soon. It will age for a very long time, as it has the balance and harmony to do so, and it will develop more complexity with time. Drink 2016-2029. But if the single harvest Unico is fantastic, the multi-vintage blend could be even better as it also plays with the benefit of extra aging time. I tasted the latest three vintages of Valbuena, to get up to speed with what’s in the market. If there’s a wine in their collection that has seen a huge improvement since 1998, it is Valbuena, which had been kind of neglected since the launch of Alion in the early 1990s. For Valbuena, they do not want a second wine in the Bordeaux style. But with the competitive Alion breathing down its neck and the pressure of its big brother, it felt a bit out of place. So they decided to look back at the vineyards: they studied the soils and saw why Unico and Valbuena had been (empirically) produced from separated plots.
VM
96
Rated 96 by Vinous Media
Inky ruby: doesn't look like a ten-year old wine. A heady, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and dark berries, vanilla, pipe tobacco, new leather and potpourri, with a subtle mineral flourish. Spicy, sweet and expansive, offering palate-staining cherry compote and cassis flavors with exotic violet and chewing tobacco qualities. Deepens and gains spiciness on the smooth, gently tannic finish, which lingers with superb focus and tenacity.
WS
94
Rated 94 by Wine Spectator
This expressive red shows lacy notes of floral, cedar, tobacco, spice and orange peel that mingle in a lean, firm texture and linger on the long, spicy finish. Delivers backbone and grace, in a traditional style. Drink now through 2024.
Winery
It is the Vega Sicilia flagship. The qualities of the Tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon in different proportions are assembled to perfection in this wine. Each provides a differentiating factor that makes the wine great in every vintage.
Product Details
size
750ml
country
Spain
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
Overview
Lightly baked and hinting at raisin and fine herbs, the bouquet on this benchmark Spanish red enfolds aromas of tobacco, moss and ripe tomato. In the mouth, it's elegant and silky but also full and expansive. Flavors of baked berry fruits, baking spices, herbs and cocoa finish with a light coating of toast. This is an amazingly complete, exemplary wine that's just entering its prime. If past vintages of Unico are an indication, it will age well through 2035. (Editors' Choice)
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.
barrel

Region: Castilla Y Leon

Castilla y Leon, in the heart of Spain, is a fascinating wine region with plenty of history, tradition and character going into each and every bottle which is produced there. The expansive, dry and arid plateau of Castilla y Leon means that the grapevines which grow there have to work hard to reach the moisture below ground, resulting in grapes which express plenty of the terroir they grow in, and thus reveal lots of flavor, aromas and the character of the region itself. Despite the difficult conditions and the blazing heat of Castilla y Leon, plenty of grape varietals grow there. As such, there is a wide range of red and white wines associated with the area, and wineries have generations of experience and expertise in making the most of the fruits they cultivate.
fields

Country: Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.

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More Details
Winery Vega Sicilia
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.
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Region: Castilla Y Leon

Castilla y Leon, in the heart of Spain, is a fascinating wine region with plenty of history, tradition and character going into each and every bottle which is produced there. The expansive, dry and arid plateau of Castilla y Leon means that the grapevines which grow there have to work hard to reach the moisture below ground, resulting in grapes which express plenty of the terroir they grow in, and thus reveal lots of flavor, aromas and the character of the region itself. Despite the difficult conditions and the blazing heat of Castilla y Leon, plenty of grape varietals grow there. As such, there is a wide range of red and white wines associated with the area, and wineries have generations of experience and expertise in making the most of the fruits they cultivate.
fields

Country: Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.