若提到最頂級的西班牙國寶級酒廠,當屬維嘉西西里亞酒廠。故事的起源要回到 1848年,Toribio Lecanda買下了約800公頃的土地,開啟了維嘉西西里亞的傳奇。園區早期主要的經營重心在於畜牧、穀物、果樹種植與陶器製作等,直到 1864 年由Toribio 的兒子 DonEloy Lecanda y Chaves 接手經營後,才開始耙地、種植。Eloy 不僅僅栽種本地的格
那希(Grenache) 與田帕尼歐 (Tempranillo) 品種,更從法國購買了 18,000 株葡萄,包含卡本內蘇維濃(Cabernet Sauvignon)、梅洛(Merlot)、馬爾貝克(Melbec)、甚至黑皮諾(Pinot
Noir) 品種。
1915 年,酒廠正式以維嘉西西里亞酒廠的名義推出5款葡萄酒:UNICO 紅酒、無年份的 UNICO
RESERVA ESPECIAL、UNICO 白酒 (1947 年起停產)、VALBUENA 5°以及 VALBUENA 3°(最後生產年份為1987)。1929 年在巴塞隆納世界博覽會 (Exposicion Universal de Barcelona) 中,維嘉西西里亞酒廠的旗艦酒款 UNICO 以 1917 與 1918 兩個年份贏得榮譽大獎,打響了酒廠的知名度。
WA: 94 Drink: 2013-2023
Vega Sicilia’s 2003 Unico, mainly Tempranillo with a balancing 8% of Cabernet Sauvignon, was aged in wood for nearly seven years before being bottled, starting with 15 months in large oak vats, followed by 25 months in new barriques, before being transferred to used ones for another 17 months and ending its elevage with a further 22 months in those large wood vats again. As I uncork the bottle, the aroma reminds me of a classical Tempranillo, with some dill notes from the American oak and a minty hint from the Cabernet. It actually makes me think of traditional Rioja, believe it or not. The wine doesn’t show the heat of the vintage, and manages to transmit a general sensation of balance and finesse that is quite remarkable for the characteristics of the year. The aim here was to avoid the confited and raisiny notes of the fruit and the spirity character so common in that vintage. It starts off slightly lactic, with notes of cafe au lait, coconut and cola. With a bit of time, it turns more flowery and shows more red fruit. It is very aromatic, with plenty dry herbs, thyme and rosemary, even pine nuts, a bit of resin and some cured meat, and overall has a very complex nose. The mouth is a little more transparent toward the heat of the vintage, it is powerful and full-bodied, but manages to keep freshness. The minty note is there, with some hints of chalk that make it very tasty. It feels briary and opulent. A success over the vintage conditions, it already shows some signs of complexity, which points at an approachable Unico. Even though it can be drunk now, it will get more polished and integrated with a few years in bottle. 76,050 bottles and 2,616 magnums were filled (on the low-ish side for Unico), but the magnums will be sold later; they are currently offering 2000 in magnum and 1999 in double-magnum. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.
