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Vega Sicilia Alión Ribera del Duero 2020

Reviews

96 -Wine Enthusiast -

95 -Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

2020 was drier than average until the harvest, when it rained and diluted the grapes, and they had to wait to regain concentration. The result is that the 2020 Alión is a wine with better balance and freshness. They felt the skins were very ripe and they could extract more and use a little more American oak (4%) in the élevage. From 2019, they kept the press wine separate until June, and they keep separate quantities of press wines that are aged in different containers depending on the quality of the wine. They used a percentage of concrete and oak vats for the élevage, which gives the wine more verticality and freshness. It's a subtle and elegant Alión, not as dense as some other vintages, but with nice balance and very elegant tannins. In 2020, they produced 285,485 bottles of this wine, 7,115 magnums and some larger formats. It was bottled in May 2022.

94 -James Suckling -

93 -Wine Spectator -

A graceful red, with a pure beam of crème de cassis gliding across the plush palate, accented by notes of sassafras, pomegranate, tar-tinged smoke and dried sage. This is well-tailored, offering fine-grained, sculpted tannins that provide form, plus pretty hints of violet and spices that linger on the lush finish. Drink now through 2034. 25,185 cases made, 1,756 cases imported.

Technical Details

Blend 100% Tempranillo
Winemaker Javier Ausás
Country Spain
Region Castilla y León
Appellation Ribera del Duero
Vineyard Padilla de Duero, Valbuena de Duero, Pesquera de Duero
Farming Method Organic Practices
Oak 80% new French oak Bordeaux barrels; 10% American oak
Fermentation Fermentation in small temperature-controlled wooden vats
Aging / Cooperage 12-14 months in barrel, followed by 15 months in bottle
Alcohol 13.9%
Production 23,790 cases

Vega Sicilia Alión Ribera del Duero 2020

Name: Vega Sicilia Alión Ribera del Duero 2020
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1014823
Price: 104.95 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

Tempranillo | Castilla y León

WE96, WA95, JS94, WS93

Organic Practices

$120.00

$104.95

750ML

12% OFF RETAIL!

Founded in 1864, Vega Sicilia is widely regarded as Spain’s first great fine wine estate, and it earned Ribera del Duero its reputation long before the region had any international recognition. Its flagship, Único, is only released after a decade of aging in barrel and bottle, making it one of the most collectible reds in the world. Its sibling Alión is the more modern, fruit-forward expression, made from 100% Tempranillo and aged in French oak, with the same pedigree and a friendlier price.

Polished and bright, the 2020 shows wild blackberry, blackcurrant, and pomegranate over floral and herbal notes, with smooth tannins and an elegant finish. It’s an expressive Alión that’s already delicious. Just 12 bottles left!

About The Producer

Few wines have a history as distinguished as that of Vega Sicilia. Founded in the 1860’s, its reputation on its flagship vintage has for more than 100 years produced two great wines, each appropriately named "Único." It was at Vega Sicilia in Ribera del Duero, two hours from Madrid, that Tempranillo proved its potential for greatness. When the estate's original founder, Don Eloy Lecanda Chaves returned from France with cuttings of Bordeaux varietals, he planted them alongside the indigenous variety, then known simply as Tinto del Pais, or “Country Red”, but today known as Tinto Fino or Tempranillo. Surprisingly, it was the Tempranillo that produced the superior wine. Today, the market for Vega Sicilia is one of scarcity and increasing demand. Vega Sicilia’s growing fame and desirability is testament not only to the estate’s enduring legacy but to the world’s craving for wines of history and noble bearing. Vega Sicilia's vintage Único, Reserva Especial and Valbuena are such wines.

$120.00

$104.95

750ML

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