**For Alion, Valbuena, & Unico wines, click to Page 2 above**
TEMPOS VEGA SICILIA
RIBERA DEL DUERO, SPAIN
Why Buy: Amazing wines from the “first growth” of Spain, on par with the most extraordinary Bordeaux in the world. As The Wall Street Journal wrote: "The rare wines of the Vega Sicilia winery reach their peak after decades — if you can get them.” Well, folks, we've got them! And you want to talk about rare? This is an incredibly rare, multi-vintage lineup, including four Unicos, two Reserva Especials (each blended from three different vintages), two Valbuenas, and four Macans — all estate-grown, high-elevation collectibles aged for many years at their famed cellars. More than ready to drink right now, these are wines of consummate smoothness, complexity, and grace.
What They're Saying: "Time turns differently at Bodegas Vega Sicilia," the renowned auction house Christie's once gushed, hailing an "aging potential akin to Château Latour or Château Lafite Rothschild" and noting that, for ardent collectors, every release or vintage "can become an obsession."
The Story: Established in 1864, in the heart of Ribera del Duero, Vega Sicilia has done more than perhaps any other estate to define and shape the definition of Ribera del Duero and Rioja. From the start, Bordeaux played a significant role in the direction of the winery, with the progenitor, Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec alongside the native Tinto Fino; when the Herrero family later took over the estate, winemaking practices from Bordeaux were incorporated, among them aging the wines in small oak barrels and estate-bottling. These are wines that honor both the present and the future — the present, because of the way they have been aged for immediate drinkability; the future, because of the way they've been built, ensuring a life in the cellar of three, four and sometimes five decades.
Our Tasting Notes: The calling card for many collectors is Vega Sicilia's impassioned and time-honored commitment to a long, patient maturation period. You can see the literal fruits of that commitment in these wines, whose vintage often betrays little insight into the drinking experience. Indeed, many taste as if they've been hauled from the cellar after a lengthy stay. The six Unicos — including two 99-pointers and two 98-pointers — impressed us immediately with their gravitas and bearing. And that trait carried through our recent tasting. It isn’t often you see such mature, fully-developed flavors in recent releases. And to add to that the almost seamless integration of elements and the rich, attenuated textures? These are wines both to add to your table right now and to cellar for those special occasions down the line.
Fun Fact: How perfectionistic is Vega Sicilia? After discovering corks that had gone bad in some of their wines, the estate's CEO, Pablo Álvarez, planted 50,000 cork trees on the property.
Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured: your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure yours today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Winter 2023 (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th, 2024). All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, NY, TN, or WI. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Sunday, September 17th, 2023.
