Wines produced
Valbueno 5° ano, Ribeira del Duero (red)
Unico - Cosecha (vintage), Ribeira del Duero (red)
Unico - Reserva especial, Ribeira del Duero (red)
Winery presentation
Owner / winemaker
Tempos Vega Sicilia Group
Region
Castilla Y Leon
Appellation
Ribera del Duero
Presentation
To lovers of fine wine, Vega Sicilia needs no introduction. Widely regarded as Spain’s most prestigious wine estate, it has earned an almost mythical reputation for quality, rarity, and timeless elegance.
Since Pablo Álvarez’s family acquired the estate in 1982, he has guided Vega Sicilia with unwavering dedication and meticulous attention to detail. Under his leadership, every aspect of the vineyards, cellars, and winemaking process has been carefully refined, elevating the wines to the pinnacle of global recognition. Remarkably, this has been achieved while remaining true to the original philosophy that first established Vega Sicilia’s legendary reputation. Today the reality exceeds the myth.
In exceptional vintages, production rarely exceeds 20,000 cases, which are distributed through a strict allocation system. Domestic demand alone consistently surpasses availability. The estate’s vineyards are famously include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, originally sourced from Bordeaux in 1864, alongside the indigenous Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). Equally distinctive is Vega Sicilia’s commitment to extended maturation—both in cask and in bottle—before release, allowing the wines to develop extraordinary elegance, complexity, and depth.
The result is a collection of wines that are not only sought after worldwide but are also celebrated for their enduring refinement and unparalleled character.
Wines produced
VALBUENA 5° ANO, RIBERA DEL DUERO (RED)
UNICO – COSECHA (VINTAGE), RIBERA DEL DUERO (RED)
UNICO – RESERVA ESPECIAL, RIBERA DEL DUERO (RED)
UNICO – RESERVA ESPECIAL – ARTIST LABEL, RIBERA DEL DUERO (RED)
Grape varieties planted
Tinto Fino (Tempranillo)
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Size of vineyard
1000 hectares, 210 of which are currently planted with vines.
Average age of the vines
40 years
Location
Located in Valbuena del Duero, 30 km east of Valladolid, on the north-facing hillside of the Duero valley at altitudes ranging from 750 to 900m.
Soils
The topsoil is very pale, calcareous clay based. The vineyards occupy the transition zone between the hillside slopes and the alluvial plain. Near the surface, the soil is composed of fine colluvial deposits from the slopes, containing small fragments of limestone. Deeper down, abundant quartz gravel is found within a sandy matrix. Angular limestone boulders are common at the surface. These soils have developed as colluvial deposits on the lower slopes, forming a well-structured profile with a deep calcic horizon resulting from long-term accumulation of calcium carbonate.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Entirely organic, though not currently certified.
Veg Sicilia devotes extraordinary attention to its vineyards, combining traditional care with rigorous quality control. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, using small 12‑kg crates to protect the integrity of each grape.
After harvest, the grapes are carefully transported to the state-of-the-art winery and placed in temperature-controlled rooms, preserving their freshness and aromatic potential before fermentation. Fermentation takes place in large wooden vats for Único and stainless-steel tanks for Valbuena 5°.
What truly sets Vega Sicilia apart is its exceptionally long ageing process. The flagship wine, Único, matures for a minimum of 10 years between barrel and bottle, one of the longest ageing regimes for a red wine in the world. During this time, the wine rests in a combination of 225-litre French and American oak barrels (new and used) and large wooden vats, typically spending about six years in wood and four years in bottle.
Valbuena 5º follows a slightly different approach. It is aged for five years, split between barrels and bottle. The first year is typically spent in 225-litre French and American oak (both new and used), followed by time in large wooden vats (for example 8,500 L), which help build texture, elegance, and finesse.
Finally, Vega Sicilia’s Único Reserva Especial is a non-vintage blend, crafted by combining the three or four recent vintages of Único, resulting in a wine of extraordinary depth, complexity, and longevity.
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