Tempranillo
75cl * 15% ABV * Ribera del Duero, Spain
Vega Sicilia was the founding estate for Ribera del Duero, first put on the vinous map in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who planted cuttings of Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux together with the native Tempranillo in this hot, continental region in north, central Spain. Shunning a formulaic approach, wines are aged in a variety of French and American oak barrels, both old and new, across different shapes and sizes.
The grapes for Alión come from carefully selected terroirs located in the very best areas of the Ribera del Duero DO region. Produced from a selection of vineyards sprawling across 130 hectares into Galicia and North West Spain, with 70 hectares situated on the estate itself. The soils complement each other, and allied with the same winemaking process used in Vega Sicilia, they have produced wines with a firm structure.
2019 was a drier vintage than normal, notable by the potent, concentrated nature of the grapes, which had a very firm structure. Careful use of wood, and the specific toast of the wood, was important for this type of vintage. The addition of concrete helped to work on the verticality and freshness of the wines. Intensely complex, aromas of ripe plums and tart black cherry are complemented by a minerality and cocoa powder. The 2019 vintage is concentrated and juicy, with a creamy, almost unctuous weight to it.
Suitable for drinking now, this wine can be aged for up to 20 years if stored in the ideal conditions (12-14ºC) and 60 % relative humidity. The recommended drinking temperature is 18ºC.
Drinking window: 2025 - 2040
"Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and cocoa powder, too. Full-bodied and juicy with an iron fist of tannins, yet at the same time so velvety and polished. Very long, focused finish, showing lots of finesse and layers. Drinkable now, but better after 2025." 95 points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (June 2022)