Of the almost 1 hectares that make up the Vega Sicilia estate, 000 are allocated to the cultivation of vines, with nineteen different types of soil and fifty-five plots with very specific characteristics. In the extraordinary management of these soils, the influence of the course of the Douro River and the passage of time have been decisive.
Forty of these hectares are used to produce Unico, which is aged for a minimum of ten years from barrel to bottle, one of the longest aging processes in the world. We use French and American oak in new and used 225 liter barrels and 22 liter vats. A long and complex construction of the wines, but at the same time simply wonderful, in which they gain a myriad of nuances, precise texture and wonderful depth over time. Thanks to this incredible terroir and this unique aging process, our wines become eternal as they age.
The 2011 is a concentrated but elegant vintage, silky, precise and deep. Unico is an expression that can be immediately, but over time it will become truly amazing. It is, without a shadow of a doubt, a real delight.
A normal winter for our region in terms of temperature and precipitation, which gave way to a frost-free spring with temperatures a little higher than usual, which brought forward the plant's cycle in this season. The summer began with rather warm temperatures at the beginning of July, returning to average temperatures during the second half. The veraison date is around August 12, which is the norm in this region. The end of ripening was slow and gradual, without rain and with good temperatures which allowed us to wait for the optimal ripening point for each plot. This resulted in a very healthy grape with a great balance of components, such as high color indices and good acidity levels. In short, an excellent vintage. The harvest began on September 15 and ended on September 28.
This wine can be drunk now, but it can be stored for up to 40-60 years if stored in ideal conditions of 12-14ºC / 54-57ºF and 60% relative humidity.
The recommended drinking temperature is 18 ºC/64 ºF.
Production: 88 bottles of Bordeaux, 288 Magnum, 3 Double Magnum, 505 Imperial and 318 Salmanazar.
Alcohol by volume – 14%.
Variety – 95% Tinto Fino and 5% Cabernet-Sauvignon
Average age of the vineyard – 33 years
Altitude – 700 – 900m