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Unico 2008

Bodegas Vega Sicilia, Ribera el Duero, Spain

Bodegas Vega Sicilia
Ribera el Duero Spain
  • 96
    Points
  • The 873 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 29 Pros of
    29 recommend
    this wine
824 96
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    58

  • Producer ranking ?

    13

  • Decanting time

    3h

  • When to drink

    from 2018

  • Food Pairing

    Skirt Steak with Pomegranate Sauce

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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2008 was a challenging vintage in Ribera del Duero, a vintage marked by a severe frost on September 24th. The vineyards of Vega Sicilia were saved by some anti-frost burners that really made the difference. Even though, there are only some 70,000 bottles of 2008 Único, a wine that will be released around March 2016 after the 2007, and before they sell 2005 and 2006. It's a fresher, more mineral ver...

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The Story

Of the 1,000 hectares making up the Vega Sicilia estate, 210 are used for wine growing, and there are 19 soil-types divided for management purposes into 52 plots with very specific characteristics. The influence of the flow of the river Duero and the passage of time have been vital in forming these soils.

70 of these hectares are employed to produce Unico. A unique, magical estate which, along with extraordinary management of the vineyard, ...

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Wine Information

Alcohol: 14.5 %

Blend: 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Cabernet-Sauvignon

Average age of vines: 35 years

Vineyard surface area: 210 ha

Planting density:  2,222 plants/ha

Altitude: 700 m

Yield: 3,600 kg /ha

Harvest: Hand-picked, in 12 kg-boxes

VINTAGE 2008: In 2008, a very dry winter was followed by a cold and rainy spring - although without May frosts, which gave rise to late budding and slow and unequal initial development of th...

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Average Bottle Price

2017 2016
359€ +24.2% 289€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Deep, Ruby red and Dark

ending

Medium, Extensive and Pure

flavors

Blackcurrant, Licorice, Pepper, Vanilla, Cedar and Meaty

nose

Intense, Pure, Seductive and Generous

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Warming, Balanced, Perfectly balanced, Youthful, Full-bodied, Firm, Vigor, Ripe, Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Exotic and Sophisticated

Written Notes

Good looking normal size bottle, in an perfect condition and has by the neck level. Colour is ruby red, deep and youthful . On the nose it is intense, wide, seductive, generous, pure and forward. The taste is full, vigor, ripe, fruity, firm, with silky tannins, full-bodied, with balanced structure and youthful. On the palate it is layered and has mushrooms, blackcurrant, truffles, vanilla, cedar, pepper, nutty, leather, chocolate, licorice and meaty flavours. The finish is medium long, extensive, flavorful, pure and spicy. This wine is sophisticated, exotic and fine. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years and decant at least over 4h before tasting.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 94p

Dark, ruby colour. Refined complex nose with intense aromatics – orange peels, leather, star anise. Full-bodied, vivid palate with dense fruitiness, refined oakiness and intense minerality. Lingering and long spicy finish. Vibrant wine with good density. Will improve in cellaring for next 5-8 years. If enjoyed now, decant for 3 hours and serve at 17-18°C with roasted lamb saddle and garlic potatoes or with grilled T-bone steak with fries and aioli. JL 97p (12/2020)

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  • 97p

A rich, dense ruby color, hints at the dark fruit nose of blackberry and currant that carries through to the palate, interwoven with complex aromas of black licorice, anise and crème de cassis. On the palate, the wine opens up to reveal an earthiness, with brown spice, cigar box and ripe dark fruits that linger throughout the extracted and long finish. The texture is opulent and rich, yet has a velvety quality with supple density. Rich, fine-grained tannins are balanced with ripe fruit, acidity and oak.

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  • 96p

There’s an intensely ripe, fresh and vibrant edge to this focused, elegant and assertively pure cabernet that delivers attractive blueberry and cassis aromas in stylish form. The palate arrives as a precise and focused suite of ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors, building smoothly to an attractively crisp and even-paced finish.

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  • 96p

95% Tinto Fino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14 months in large wooden vats, 18 months in new barrels, 8 months in used casks and 24 months in large wooden foudres (French/American) prior to ageing in bottle before commercial release.
Deep garnet with a wide smudgy rim. Spicy and laced with sweet chocolate. A certain untamed quality to the fine dark fruit. Peppery and highly seasoned but that doesn’t batter the fruit, which is more like blackberry than cherry or cassis. As on several of the wines from this stable, there’s a savoury dark-olive quality. Tannins are thick, resolved but not yet fine/elegant. Still remarkably not ready for the fullest expression of pleasure but it is clearly moving towards refinement and already has wonderful length.

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  • 97p

Very interesting and original nose of dried rose petals, crunch raspberries and sweet spices. Medium rounded tannin's with a lengthy and complex finish. Great balance and finesse!

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  • 97p

Ruby. Dark fruity, vanilla, some spices, blueberries, rich, cinnamon, peppery, liquorice nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity, dark berries, fruity, rich, intense, spices, rich and fruity, still quite detailed, long. 96

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  • 96p

Dark garnet red with almost black core. Excellent structured wine with great potential, already displaying hints of mild spices and discreet fruits. Hints of black truffles in the background. On the palate opulent and rich with distinct tannins, intense oak character.

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  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Valbuena, Ribera el Duero
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