Vega Sicilia Unico 2015

96% Tinto Fino, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. From the famous Vega Sicilia vineyard, located between 720 and 930 m above sea level on limestone marl soil. Aged for a total of 10 years, 5 years in barrels and wooden foudres, of which one and a half years in barrels, and another five years in bottle. The maturation of the 2015 vintage was fast, homogeneous and exceptional, which required a good control of the process to obtain the optimum point of maturity. Gonzalo Iturriaga's first year as technical director. A very generous year in terms of ripeness and power, with great balancing acidity. For this wine, the whitest soils rich in marl were selected from the mythical Vega Sicilia vineyard. Production: 84,184 bottles, 3,645 magnums, 360 double magnums, 57 Imperials and 5 Salmanazars. Cedar, graphite and a fine touch of earthiness. It is fluid, with melted tannins and very smooth. Certainly, a year of great delicacy and with the barrel less marked. It is totally multi-layered and you can already perceive some tertiary notes that are complemented by a touch of pine-forest freshness at the back of the palate. Great work; it is a totally overwhelming wine. (FC)

• Drinking Window: 2024 - 2060
• Reviewer Name: Ferran Centelles

Responding to the heat and power of the 2015 vintage, Gonzalo Iturriaga was grateful for the 4% Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend with Tinto Fino. Firmer and denser than the 2014 release, it partners aromas of earth, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate with a palate of Asian spices, ginger, cassis and blackberry and polished tannins. A triumph over the elements.

• Drinking Window: 2028 - 2040
• Reviewer Name: Tim Atkin MW

The 2015 Vega Sicilia Unico is Tinta del País with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ribera del Duero. The nose is aromatically complex, with balsamic notes, forest floor, delicate herbs such as rosemary and thyme and an evolved profile showing vanilla, maraschino cherry and dried fruit. Silky and layered, the palate features chalky tannins and a smooth texture, offering depth and nuance. Subtle oak, fresh plum and herbs combine for a long, refined finish. A classic expression of elegant Ribera.

• Reviewer Name: Joaquín Hidalgo

The 2015 Único comes from a year with a fast ripening, and they had to harvest early to keep the crunchiness of the fruit. This was the first harvest produced 100% by winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga. The aging was five years in oak, one and a half years in barrels and three and a half years in oak vats. It's a big year, produced with 96% Tinto Fino and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's ripe, with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.88 and 4.8 grams of acidity. The grapes are cooled down for one day, the bunches are selected and then fermented with a pied de cuve in vats. It's a ripe and concentrated vintage, classical modern Vega Sicilia nose, expressive, aromatic and open, with notes of dark cherries, spice, cigar box and a medium to full-bodied palate with abundant fine-grained tannins, with good balance and the rustic elegance of the best Ribera del Duero. In 2015, they produced 84,184 bottles, 3,645 magnums and some larger formats, less than 2014, which was the largest production of Único ever. It was bottled in May 2021.

• Drinking Window: 2027 - 2042
• Reviewer Name: Luis Gutiérrez