vega sicilia unico gran reserva 1989 ribera del duero

the history of bodega vega sicilia began in 1848. the 2000 hectares of the estate (at the time) became a winery in 1868. in 1904, the owner domingo garramiola began to vinify his vineyard, which was mainly planted with cabernet sauvignon, malbec and merlot, imitating bordeaux methods. his work really bore fruit in 1915 when the vega sicilia unico and valbuena vintages were created. from then on, the estate was considered the best spanish winery. however, when the herero family took over the estate, it was almost impossible to get a bottle. indeed, to have the privilege of tasting a vega sicilia wine, you had to be a close friend of the family. the legend is created. at vega sicilia, they practice sustainable agriculture. the viticulture is close to biodynamic viticulture, without seeking certification. indeed, pablo alvarez and his family wish to have a wide enough field of action to prevent possible bad weather or diseases of the vine. especially since the climate where the vineyard is located is very capricious: temperatures can vary from -10°c to 40°c. this condition makes working the vineyard and harvesting sometimes complicated, and forces small yields. moreover, the family does not hesitate to sacrifice a large part of its production if it is not good enough. vega sicilia's vineyards cover no less than 19 terroirs and 55 plots! these are vinified separately. vega sicilia is an exceptional estate, and therefore offers prestigious wines that will give you a tasting experience of its own. they also have an excellent ageing capacity. the 1989 unico, a blend of 80% tinto fino and 20% cabernet sauvignon picked early from 30th september, has a gorgeous, minty bouquet with blackberry, a touch of blueberry, crushed violets and a little strawberry jam. it blossoms with aeration in the glass. the palate is smooth and rounded on the entry: caressing and voluminous in the mouth. the fruit is very pure with notes of strawberry, tiptree raspberry jam, marmalade and quince. it has great weight towards the finish with orange cordial and a hint of mango. however, it does not have the tension or focus of the 1994 or the 1996. 105,860 bottles produced. drink now-2035.