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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 1996 750ml

size
750ml
country
Spain
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
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+. ... More details
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Vega Sicilia Ribera Del Duero Unico 1996 750ml

SKU 873376
Case Only Purchase
Long-term Pre-Arrival
$2205.90
/case
$735.30
/750ml bottle
Quantity
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
appellation
Ribera Del Duero
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 Tempranillo grape varietal is often referred to as Spain's 'noble grape', and has over the past century been planted in several countries around the world. Tempranillo grapes produce beautiful ruby red wines, packed full of fascinating flavors which range from intensely fruity, to deep, dark and spicy, holding notes of vanilla, tobacco and leather. Their black skins hold plenty of tannins, and as such, they are often blended with other more rounded or brighter wines, to balance out the character and produce some truly exceptional examples. Tempranillo grapes often fall to a wide range of diseases, and are greatly effected by climatic conditions. They tend to grow best, however, in areas with a mixture of heat and bright sunshine, and brisk breezes which can cool the vines.
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

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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Customer Reviews

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More Details
Winery Vega Sicilia
green grapes

Varietal: Tempranillo

The Tempranillo grape varietal is often referred to as Spain's 'noble grape', and has over the past century been planted in several countries around the world. Tempranillo grapes produce beautiful ruby red wines, packed full of fascinating flavors which range from intensely fruity, to deep, dark and spicy, holding notes of vanilla, tobacco and leather. Their black skins hold plenty of tannins, and as such, they are often blended with other more rounded or brighter wines, to balance out the character and produce some truly exceptional examples. Tempranillo grapes often fall to a wide range of diseases, and are greatly effected by climatic conditions. They tend to grow best, however, in areas with a mixture of heat and bright sunshine, and brisk breezes which can cool the vines.
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

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.