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2011 Único, Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero, Spain

  • Red
  • Dry
  • Full Bodied
  • Tempranillo
Ready - youthful (Drink 2020 - 2045)
Jancis Robinson MW
18++/20
Sarah Jane Evans MW
95/100
Josh Raynolds
96/100
Luis Gutiérrez
94/100
James Suckling
98/100
Product: 20118004745

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In Bond purchases can be stored in our temperature-controlled warehouse

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2011 Único, Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero, Spain

Description

The youthful, red brick colour of the 2011 Único immediately suggests that this is still a mere infant, even at ten years of age. Aromas of strawberries, autumnal leaves and fresh saddle leather mingle with darker notes of bramble fruit and a hint of blackcurrants, sweet spice and dried camomile flowers. The palate is lean and tight; there is generosity evident with more maturing notes of sweeter strawberries, leather and cured meat in the background, but these will need time to shine through.

The tannins are excellent, pin-prick and almost imperceptible at first; however, the lightest of grips on the palate increases with tasting, and the tannins are very clearly present on the finish. This is a very subtle but incredibly beautiful Único, about lightness of touch and a perfect representation of its terroir over anything else. It feels like the light itself, with pure energy and such delicate characteristics that they almost evade one's grasp at this stage. However, that superb, understated yet intense, deep core of flavour on the endless finish makes it truly spectacular. 

Drink 2025 - 2055

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Colour Red
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2011
Alcohol % 14%
Maturity Ready - youthful (2020 - 2045)
Grape List Tempranillo
Body Full Bodied
Producer Vega Sicilia

Critics reviews

Jancis Robinson MW 18++/20
95% Tinto Fino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Frost-free spring, warm but regular growing season and ‘excellent’ vintage conditions; harvest 15–28 September. Bottled June 2017: 88,288 bottles, 3,505 magnums, 318 double magnums, 60 Impériales and 3 Salmanazars. From magnum.Mellow nose and on the palate, there’s a sensation rather akin to chewing charcoal—hums along on the finish. Like the 2013, this is very much a wine for the future. Lots of fine tannins.Drink 2025 - 2050jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com (September 2022)
Drink 2025 - 2050
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (Sep 2022)
Sarah Jane Evans MW 95/100
Vibrant primary aromas of roses, oranges and fresh herbs lead into a wine full of redcurrant freshness. While 2011 is a more concentrated vintage, the wine is impressively elegant and delicate. It can be enjoyed soon for its structure, yet it will undoubtedly improve with age.Drink 2025 - 2045Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter.com (September 2022)
Drink 2025 - 2050
Sarah Jane Evans MW, Decanter.com (Sep 2022)
Josh Raynolds 96/100
Deep, shimmering ruby. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, vanilla, pipe tobacco, exotic spices, cola and potpourri. Deeply concentrated and energetic on the palate, it offers smoke-laced black currant, cherry liqueur, spice cake, and mocha flavours that display outstanding clarity and pick up a candied violet nuance on the back half. Polished, steadily building tannins frame the finish, which hangs on with outstanding mineral- and floral-driven tenacity.Drink 2025 - 2036josh_raynolds, Vinous.com.com (June 2021)
Drink 2025 - 2050
Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (Jun 2021)
Luis Gutiérrez 94/100
The 2011 Único ended up among my least favourite vintages of recent times, at least the magnum I tasted and in comparison with the 2013 and 2009 and even the 2007 (a very challenging vintage that showed better). Despite the warm year (which they have always said they found cooler than 2010), the wine is "only" 14% alcohol, which is quite moderate for the last few years when the wines routinely reach 14.5%. I found the wine quite tannic and lacking the charm I expected in this cuvée. Perhaps with more time? The grapes were picked relatively early, between September 15th and 28th. 3,505 magnums were filled in June 2017.Drink now until 2033Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (January 2023)
Drink 2025 - 2050
Luis Gutiérrez, RobertParker.com (Jan 2023)
James Suckling 98/100
95% Tempranillo and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intensity and concentration mark this, with a deep core of hazelnuts, ripe blackberries, praline, chocolate orange and some iron. It’s full-bodied with very finely textured yet muscular tannins. Well framed. Tasted from magnum. Drinkable now, but with a long future ahead.james_suckling, jamessuckling_com (September 2022)
Drink 2025 - 2050
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (Sep 2022)

About this wine

Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero

In the last 30 years, Ribera del Duero has risen up to challenge Rioja for the crown of Spain's greatest wine region. Once known only as the home of Vega Sicilia, it now boasts numerous bodegas of outstanding quality, from Hacienda Monasterio to Cillar de Silos. The region was granted its DO status in 1982, and today has over 200 wineries and more than 20,000 hectares of vines.
Find out more

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