| Region of production: | Ribera del Duero |
| Winery Location: | Valladolid |
| Year Established: | 1864 |
Vineyard Holdings
200 ha
Top Wines Produced
- Único: At least 80% Tempranillo, the rest a blend of Bordeaux varietals, from low-yielding, 60- to 65-year-old vines. The wine is aged for at least 10 years in barrel and bottle. Before 2010, Único was fermented in 40,000-liter vats, so it was only made if there was a sufficient quantity of quality grapes. Vega Sicilia now has numerous 8,000-liter wooden vats, so the wine will likely be released every year moving forward.
- Valbuena 5°: Primarily Tempranillo, with some Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. A younger wine released in every vintage, with grapes from 25- to 35-year-old vines. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for three years in oak followed by two in bottle.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Don Eloy Lecanda Chaves founded Vega Sicilia in 1864. After a visit to Bordeaux, he returned to Ribera del Duero with cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, which he planted next to the local Tempranillo. He was surprised to find that the wine made from the Tempranillo grape was superior. Tempranillo’s fame was sparked soon after, in the early 1900s. Today, Vega Sicilia’s vineyards are 80% Tempranillo, the remaining percentage planted to a few French varieties, with some vines over 100 years old. Most recently purchased by the Alvarez family in 1982, the bodega has had just five owners since its inception.
Vega Sicilia is most famous for its flagship wine, Único, which undergoes extended aging, sometimes more than 10 years, and historically was not produced every year. The wines have become increasingly difficult to acquire, and membership with the winery is as coveted as the wines themselves.
Style & Vinification Techniques
All fruit for Vega Sicilia wines is estate grown. The Tempranillo vines, making up 80% of the vineyard, are trained en vaso. Cabernet Sauvignon is the only grape grown en espalier. The estate practices green harvesting in the vineyard, ensuring lower yields and more concentrated fruit, and typically replants after vines reach 65 years of age. Vega Sicilia wines have remained elegant and balanced even as other producers have moved toward more power and new oak. Traditional techniques such as extended maceration and lengthy aging are employed in the cellar, and the winery’s one more modern attribute is its use of Bordeaux varietals in its wines.
Producer Website: Vega Sicilia