Winemaker Notes
This is a non-vintage Vega Sicilia and a tribute to tradition. Unico Reserva Especial is a true homage to the history of Spanish wine, perfectly combining the characteristics of different Unico vintages. Only the best Unico vintages are used to produce this iconic and remarkably complex wine. It is a blend of time, virtues, experiences, and emotions that shape the most profound nature of a proprietary, unique style: the Vega Sicilia style. Unico Reserva Especial 2023 is made up of the 2009, 2011 and 2012 vintages.
Blend: 94% Tinto Fino, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The NV Único Reserva Especial 2023 Release is a blend produced with vintages 2009, 2011 and 2012, in search of a house style. It's a blend of Tinto Fino with some Cabernet Sauvignon with 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.85 and 5.2 grams of acidity (measured in tartaric acid per liter of wine); so, it's a slightly lighter version of Reserva Especial. When in theory they used three warm, ripe and powerful vintages, the blend is not excessively powerful, but the longer élevage has polished that power and delivered a classical and proportioned wine, aromatic, spicy, with the Vega nose and a velvety palate with very fine tannins and great elegance.
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Wine & Spirits
In an ideal world, anyone who approaches a border crossing into Spain would receive a drop of Unico Reserva Especial on their tongue, resetting their entire system to work in Spanish. This is the most Spanish of wines, needing only a slice of jamón ibérico or a crisp bite of lechazo to deliver complete Castilian bliss. The latest release, assembled by Gonzalo Iturriaga and his team from their reserves of Unico in the 2009, 2011 and 2012 vintages, is a plump, savory beauty. It resonates in a subtle chord of flavor, working through major and minor keys as it lasts, spicy and dynamic, defining elegance. The flavors shapeshift from bitter chocolate to black currant, a whiff of freshness in scents of tomato leaf and purple sage. Compellingly delicious, this is the vinous aristocracy of Spain.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and appealing on the nose, with notes of date and dark chocolate that also show on the palate, joining a core of bitter cherry reduction, mandarin orange peel, dried mint and mineral flavors. Seamless and silky, with a plush edge to the firm, fine tannins. Long and expansive on the focused, spiced finish.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Ribera del Duero, Spanish wine region, is located in northen Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive from Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back more than 2000 years, it was in the 1980s that 9 wineries applied for and were granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 300 wineries call Ribera del Duero home, including some of Spain’s most iconic names.
Notable Facts Ribera’s main grape variety, Tempranillo, locally know as Tinto Fino, is perfectly suited to the extreme climate of the region, where it must survive scorching summers and frigid winters. Low yields resulting from conscientious tending to old vines planted in Ribera’s diverse soils types, give Ribera wines a distinctive depth and complexity not found in other Tempranillos. Rich and full-bodied, the spice, dark fruit and smoky flavors in a bold Ribera del Duero will pair well with roasted and grilled meats, Mexican food and tomato-based sauces.