VEGA SICILIA

Pablo Alvarez described 2004 as a textbook vintage with perfect temperatures and rain just when it was needed. The 2004 has a haunting bouquet of dark brambly black fruit, cassis, honey, a tang of marmalade and bacon fat. It already boasts an intense, burly bouquet that will require years to soften. The palate is full-bodied with succulent, ripe, intense black cherries, white pepper, minerals and liquorice and it fans out beautifully towards the finish with tar-tinged black fruit interlaced with black pepper. This is a multi-dimensional Unico, more masculine and grander than the 2005, perhaps the sibling of the 1994? Rating: 97 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (Oct 2014)

Approachable and sweet, with dried prunes and dates on the palate plus a hint of mocha. Full bodied, generous and very ripe, this is a voluptuous, richer style than the Unicos of the past. Drink 2026 - 2045 Drinking range: 2026 - 2045 Rating: 92 Jeannie Cho Lee MW, Decanter (Sept 2014)

slightly less dark than the 2005. The aromas are relatively mute and ungiving but there’s a florality and sous bois character together with wild red fruit. Don’t really notice the wood so much. Again that fierce, rugged, burly attack of vibrant acidity and robust tannin. Lovely savoury character too. It’s way too young, Mohammed Ali in nappies, but it has a cogency and power that will age very well. Savoury. Almost hints of Piedmont here. Long. Very young. Could be great. Rating: 8.5/10 Peter Richards MW (Jun 2012)