2002 | Vega Sicilia | Alion Castilla Leon Ribera del Duero

This plump, supple red offers black cherry and smoke flavors, with just enough tannins for grip.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: While 2002 was a lesser vintage, you would never know it from tasting the 2002 Alion. Saturated purple in color, it offers up an exotic nose of coconut, espresso, herbs, black currants and cherries. Rich and complex on the palate with lots of glycerin and layers of black fruit flavors, it has a pure, long finish that goes on and on

• Wine Enthusiast: Sweet aromas of baked plums, blueberry, sandalwood and exotic spices. The palate is ripe and fairly pure, showing black cherry and dark plum flavors. Really good for an off year, with a touch of spice, chocolate and vanilla.

Producer Information

Vega Sicilia is widely regarded as the greatest wine producer in Spain. The estate in Ribera del Duero is known for its dense, complex red wines made principally from the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) grape variety. Its top wine, Unico, is one of Spain's most expensive and sought-after wines. The Vega Sicilia estate covers around 1000 hectares (2470 acres) of which around 210ha (520 acres) is under vine. It has been in operation since 1864, long before the development of the appellation in which it resides, and the current wine styles date from the 1910s. Quality has become more consistent since the current owners, the Alvarez family, took over in 1982. The vineyards are planted to around 80 percent Tempranillo with the remainder taken up by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and tiny amounts of Malbec. Yields are kept low, aided by green harvesting and painstaking grape selection. Winery operations are just as meticulous, with a complicated series of rackings from large barrels to barriques, mixing old and new oak and leading to wines that are capable of long aging. Vega Sicilia makes three cuvées: Unico is the flagship, and the Reserva Especial is a blend of several of the best vintages. Traditionally they would be aged for 10 years or more before release, although this has been reduced in recent vintages. The junior wine, Valbuena, is made from younger vines, and is released after five years in American oak.

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