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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 1996 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
region
Castilla Y Leon
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
3 Ratings
See 3 Professional Reviews
WA
96
VM
94
DC
93
Additional vintages
2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2000 1999 1998 1996 1995 1985
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
Pablo Alvarez quipped that in 1996, the growing season was so benevolent, that the winemaker was not even necessary! The 1996 Unico has a very pure, pastille-like bouquet with raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and a touch of Chinese tea. It has impressive delineation and linearity. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. The fruit profile is shimmering in the glass with black cherries, cassis and blueberry notes. It is very feminine and powerful towards the poised, tensile finish that is long and seductive. One of the finest recent vintages, suffused with sensuality and opulence, the 1996 Unico is destined to be a great wine, one that might unfairly be over-shadowed by the 1994. 99,480 bottles produced. Drink 2020-2040+. ... More details
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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 1996 750ml

SKU 873376
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
$2107.14
/case
$702.38
/750ml bottle
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min order 3 bottles
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Professional Ratings
WA
96
VM
94
DC
93
WA
96
Rated 96 by Wine Advocate
Pablo Alvarez quipped that in 1996, the growing season was so benevolent, that the winemaker was not even necessary! The 1996 Unico has a very pure, pastille-like bouquet with raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and a touch of Chinese tea. It has impressive delineation and linearity. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. The fruit profile is shimmering in the glass with black cherries, cassis and blueberry notes. It is very feminine and powerful towards the poised, tensile finish that is long and seductive. One of the finest recent vintages, suffused with sensuality and opulence, the 1996 Unico is destined to be a great wine, one that might unfairly be over-shadowed by the 1994. 99,480 bottles produced. Drink 2020-2040+.
VM
94
Rated 94 by Vinous Media
Deep ruby. Complex, heady bouquet of kirsch, candied plum, cured tobacco, licorice, dried rose and cedar. Pungent herbal notes build with aeration and repeat on the palate, adding complexity to the deep, ripe cherry and dark berry liqueur flavors. Remarkably elegant wine with precise cherry/berry flavors and a slow-mounting mocha quality on the long, sappy finish. There's a very impressive interplay of fruit and tannins here.
DC
93
Rated 93 by Decanter
In the glass, Único 1996 looks to be showing its age. Certainly on the nose too, where the notes of truffle and woodsmoke reveal its developing maturity. Nevertheless, the wine remains youthful and alive in the mouth, with bright redcurrant fruits, a silky mid-palate and just a balancing rasp of tannins on the finish. This is a superbly elegant wine, which still has plenty of years ahead. Drinking Window 2019 - 2028.
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
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
Pablo Alvarez quipped that in 1996, the growing season was so benevolent, that the winemaker was not even necessary! The 1996 Unico has a very pure, pastille-like bouquet with raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and a touch of Chinese tea. It has impressive delineation and linearity. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. The fruit profile is shimmering in the glass with black cherries, cassis and blueberry notes. It is very feminine and powerful towards the poised, tensile finish that is long and seductive. One of the finest recent vintages, suffused with sensuality and opulence, the 1996 Unico is destined to be a great wine, one that might unfairly be over-shadowed by the 1994. 99,480 bottles produced. Drink 2020-2040+.
green grapes

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.
barrel

Region: Castilla Y Leon

In the heart of Spain, we find the beautiful - if somewhat arid and occasionally desolate - wine region of Castilla y Leon. Castilla y Leon is the largest wine region in Spain, covering a huge plateau rising up from its surroundings, and characterized by its dry and cracked soils, and intense summer heat. Such weather conditions can often make viticulture difficult, but the wineries which work in the region have generations of experience and expertise when it comes to making the most of the beautiful red and white wine grape varietals which grow well there. From Tempranillo to Verdejo, Castilla y Leon really has something to suit every palate, and offers the world a range of wines full of the passion and flavors of Spain.
fields

Country: Spain

Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews

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green grapes

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.
barrel

Region: Castilla Y Leon

In the heart of Spain, we find the beautiful - if somewhat arid and occasionally desolate - wine region of Castilla y Leon. Castilla y Leon is the largest wine region in Spain, covering a huge plateau rising up from its surroundings, and characterized by its dry and cracked soils, and intense summer heat. Such weather conditions can often make viticulture difficult, but the wineries which work in the region have generations of experience and expertise when it comes to making the most of the beautiful red and white wine grape varietals which grow well there. From Tempranillo to Verdejo, Castilla y Leon really has something to suit every palate, and offers the world a range of wines full of the passion and flavors of Spain.
fields

Country: Spain

Spanish wines are renowned world-wide for carrying all the passion and character of the Spanish culture within them. Any lover of Spanish wine would undoubtedly be able to confirm this notion, as the variety and range of flavors and aromas coming from the high end of Spanish produce is truly impressive, and continues to delight and fascinate both newcomers and the more experienced. Spain benefits massively from an ideal climate for wine production and vine cultivation, with its long, scorching hot summers and far reaching oceanic breezes working perfectly with the native and imported grape varietals, which thrive on the mineral rich soils that cover much of the country. With centuries of knowledge, and generations of expertise under their belts, Spanish wineries continue to focus on raising the quality of their nation's wines, helped along the way by relatively new laws and regulations regarding regional excellence and representativeness.