Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml

Name: Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml
Brand: Vega Sicilia
SKU: 883068
Price: 382.95 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 98 (5 reviews)

size

750ml

country

Spain

region

Castilla Y Leon

appellation

Ribera Del Duero

5 Ratings

See 5 Professional Reviews

Additional vintages

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2000 1999 1998 1996 1995 1985

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

Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml

Rated 98 by Wine Enthusiast

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.

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.

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.

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.

WNR

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.

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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 2004 750ml

SKU 883068

Case Only Purchase

Long-term Pre-Arrival

$2297.70

/case

$382.95

/750ml bottle

Quantity

min order 6 bottles

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Professional Ratings

Rated 98 by Wine Enthusiast

Rated 97 by Decanter

Rated 97 by Wine Advocate

Rated 96 by Vinous Media

Rated 94 by Wine Spectator

Winery

Product Details

size

750ml

country

Spain

region

Castilla Y Leon

appellation

Ribera Del Duero

Additional vintages

2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2000 1999 1998 1996 1995 1985

Overview

Varietal: Tempranillo

The wines made from the Tempranillo grape varietal have gone down in history as being some of the finest in the world, with the Spanish region of Riot being one of the most famed and respected examples of a quality red wine made with this grape. Elsewhere in the world, the Tempranillo grape has had plenty of success, and grows best in regions with a mixture of hot sunshine and cooling breezes. These grapes hold plenty of intense and interesting flavors, and are often said to hold many of the most sought after flavors to be found in a red wine. Leather, tobacco, plums and herbs are often noted in wines made with Tempranillo grapes, and the blended wines made with this varietal are often seen at the top of world rankings.

Region: Castilla Y Leon

Castilla y Leon is one of the oldest wine regions in Europe, and is a fascinating area for those passionate about the finest Spanish wines. For centuries, Castilla y Leon has attracted attention, due to its fascinating history, stunning architecture and interesting food and wine traditions. The vast plain of Castilla y Leon has developed a culture which is all its own, and the wines which have been made for centuries in the historic wineries of the region do all they can to reflect this. As such, many of the most distinctively 'Spanish' wines of the country hail from this region, including those made with classic Spanish grapes, such as the robust and spicy Tempranillo, or the more fruity, aromatic white Verdejo and Viura varietals.

Country: Spain

From the deep and intense Rioja wines, or the dry and refreshing Ruedas, from Tempranillos to Verdejos, the range and quality of Spanish wines is always going to impress and fascinate. With several thousand years of traditions and expertise leading the way, Spanish wineries are currently producing some of the most flavorful and interesting wines to come out of Europe, striving to overcome the reputation problems the country suffered in the mid to late twentieth century. Despite being one of the largest producers of wine in the world, with billions of bottles being filled each year, Spanish wine producers are more interested in quality over quantity than ever before. The results of this are some truly world class wines rivaling even the finest produce of France in regards to balance, character and flavor, gaining new fans and enthusiasts every day.

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