Vega Sicilia is truly a living myth and undoubtedly the most prestigious winery in Spain. The estate's top wines only come onto the market after many years of maturation and have always been among the rarest wines in Europe. No wonder numerous European royal houses and other prominent people are among the admirers of the Spanish winery.

The Unico, as the undisputed top wine of the house, has been one of the greatest wines in the world for decades and is mentioned by the most renowned wine critics in the same breath as the best crus from Bordeaux. With its extraordinary wines, which are of unrivaled finesse, Vega Sicilia has made the Ribera del Duero growing area known far beyond the borders of Spain and has made a significant contribution to the Ribera del Duero receiving the protected designation of origin "Denominacion de Orijen".

An excellent wine region

The prestigious winery is located in Valbuena in the western part of the Ribera del Duero growing region, not far from the city of Valladolid. The wine-growing region is characterized by two special features. On the one hand, wines are cultivated here at quite high altitudes of up to 850 meters. On the other hand, the climate is extremely continental and therefore characterized by very high temperature differences between summer and winter as well as day and night. Although the Ribera del Duero is one of the more southern wine-growing regions in Europe, the grapes here are harvested much later than in Bordeaux, for example, due to the altitude.

The Vega Sicilia estate has a total of around 1,000 hectares around the Duero river. Wine is grown on just over 200 hectares. The sand, clay and limestone soils on which the estate's vines grow represent an excellent and nutrient-rich subsoil. The terroir ensures the wines are extremely elegant and finesse. The average age of the vines is 30 years. The vines for some of the finest wines are over 100 years old. In addition, the privileged locations of the area enjoy a maximum amount of sun. All in all, the vineyards of Vega Sicilia have unsurpassed good conditions for top wines.

The story of a legendary winery

The history of Vega Sicilia dates back to the middle of the 19th century. It begins with Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, who inherited the family estate in 1859. At that time, grain and sheep farming were mainly cultivated on the estate. In the course of the legendary classification of Bordeaux wines in 1855, Don Eloy first became aware of wine. In 1864 he traveled to Bordeaux and brought back seedlings of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot varieties to his native Spain. Together with Spain's finest grape variety Tempranillo, he planted the French vines in the barren and dry soil of the Ribera del Duero.

However, Don Eloy remained more a farmer than a winemaker throughout his life, which is why the grapes were primarily processed into brandy, which at least made it to the royal court in Madrid. After several changes of ownership, the estate was leased to Cosme Palacio at the beginning of the 20th century. Under the leadership of the capable winemaker, the success story of Vega Sicilia slowly gained momentum. Within a short period of time, the wines won a number of prizes in competitions at home and abroad. Cosme Palacio put the focus on wine quality and hired the exceptionally talented cellar master Txomin. It was he who created some of the most famous and sought-after grape juices in Spain in the years that followed.

In the meantime, the owners of the estate began giving away bottles to friends of the nobility and celebrities. Due to the top quality of the wines, the reputation of Vega Sicilia spread like wildfire in the privileged circles of Europe. Finally, in 1929, the cornerstone for the worldwide reputation of the winery was laid with the award of two vintages at the Universal Exhibition in Barcelona. The estate has been owned by the Álvarez family since 1982, who have successfully continued the traditional history of the winery ever since.

Wines with special characteristics

Tempranillo is at the heart of the Vega Sicilia grape varieties. Tempranillo's sister vine, Tinto Fino, is also highly valued by the estate. In the estate's top wine, the "Unico", it forms a wonderful ensemble with Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition, the varieties Carménère, Malbec and Merlot are cultivated. In the cuvées of the prestigious estate, Tempranillo is often blended with Merlot.

The jewel among the top wines is the "Unico Gran Reserva". It is only produced with the best vintages, which is why the volume of 40,000 to 100,000 bottles per vintage is very manageable. The unique feature of the Unico is its release date. The top wine always matures at least ten years after harvest before it is released on the market. Depending on the vintage, the aging period can be longer than 20 years.

The "entry-level wine" of the traditional Spanish estate is the Valbuena 5°. It is a blend of the Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties. The number 5 reminds us that the wine is released at the age of five.