By Pablo Alvarez
Tasting with Serena Sutcliffe
In 2014, Bodegas Vega Sicila brought out a book to celebrate 150 years of existence. Some of you may have had the pleasure of reading it. For others, here are precious extracts of the tasting notes elaborated by Serena Sutcliffe for the occasion. Read on!
1941
Plummy and intense aroma with hints of molasses, matching the dark color of the molasses itself. Tar-like flavor with a toffee finish. In 2013, a bouquet of molasses and burnt sugar, with a deep and vibrant bitter orange flavor that seems to be the house signature.
1942
75 percent Tinto Fino, 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Wild spearmint on the nose. Iron, "iodine," and anise. Candied violets. A meaty and powerful taste. An incredibly vigorous bottle, full of iron and mint. Glorious.
1946
In 2013, a truly elegant aroma of anise and flowers, reminiscent of Guerlain. A magnificent, full-bodied flavor that paired splendidly with a steak tartare! A truly sweet finish, with intense fruit. Absolutely mouthwatering.
1948
In 2013, pale color, with a nose of anise and violets. Sweet plums on the palate, with roses, finesse, and persistence. Juicy currants on the finish. A splendid wine.
1953
80 percent Tinto Fino, 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Absolutely astonishing. A burst of sweet plums and apricot. Completely fascinating in scope. Of dazzling sensuality. It caresses the palate with a sweet and intense fruity flavor. A sweet, plummy finish: a miraculous wine. In 2013, it remained a marvel. Sweetness and smoke with genuine hints of vanilla. Of seemingly unchanging beauty.
1957
80 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Aroma of ink and mineral. Great impact on the palate, with a touch of volatility that, as always, is softened by food—in this case, a rabbit dish that enhanced and highlighted the body of the wine. It finishes sweetly, something that is always very appealing.
1959
80 percent Tinto Fino, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Sweet and ripe on the nose. Burnt raisins and bitter orange chocolate on the palate. It lingers wonderfully in the glass. In 2013, that magnificent and tempting sweetness on the nose is once again appreciated. The flavor, extremely smooth, melts away. Absolutely charming. The hint of orange and clove lingers on the palate. An excellent wine.
1960
70 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. In 2012, I drank three fantastic bottles of this consistently charming gem. It has a pure, very determined, and lingering aroma, followed by intense and complex flavors that develop with great elegance and vigor. We truly never tired of drinking it—hence the three bottles! Then, in 2013, I found it again. On the nose, a smoky and peaty scent, with a magnificent attack of black fruits on the palate.
1961
80 percent Tinto Fino, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Some of the bottles I’ve tried were slightly oxidized, but the wine remained dense, sweet, and mature. In 2013, a wonderful bottle with a magnificent and spicy sweetness on the nose. Then, with a splendid sweetness, it melted on the palate. A fabulous wine. Full-bodied but also fruity, like some old English dishes that combine those flavors. It would also pair splendidly with the dried fruits in chicken and lamb tagines.
1962
70 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot. A very “classic” nose; young, fresh, and healthy. Quite mineral walnut flavor. Full-bodied, but with a texture full of nuances. Acidic freshness, with a finish of walnut liqueur and a hint of chocolate. Another bottle had a magnificent, complex, and intricate bouquet and taste, with each sip revealing another nuance. Very solid, firm, and full-bodied, with an excellent aftertaste of peppermint. In 2013, the peppermint was noticeable on the nose. Extraordinary sweetness, volume, and body on the palate. An excellent wine and an absolute star in the Vega Sicilia firmament.
1964
65 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. On the nose, an earthy scent, with mushrooms, as well as violets and anise. It’s a rich, opulent terroir, with an almost “Burgundian” flavor. A multitude of sweet fruits that dissolve amid a violet aroma. Elements of a top-tier mineral Côte de Nuits, with an extra touch of anise! More concentrated than the 1962 vintage and much spicier, with an earthy finish. In 2013, a younger nose. Anise was present, but with an imposing sweetness that melted on the palate. A superb bottle and, on this occasion, authentically Vega Sicilian!
1965
75 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 5 percent Merlot and Albillo. Wonderfully compact, plummy nose. Incredible aroma, whose sweetness intensifies in the glass. Full-bodied with grape aromas, featuring a balsamic taste and finish. A wine of great unity. In 2013, very full-bodied, smoky on the nose, with a presence of spices as well. Splendid Christmas fruitcake flavors on the palate, with an incredible presence of raisins, plums, and currants. An astonishing wine.
1966
88 percent Tinto Fino, 8 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 4 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. I tasted a simply glorious bottle of this wine in 2013, a glass full of fresh berry liqueur and heather. Sensational from start to finish. That same year, very sweet on the nose. Great complexity of flavors on the palate, with a wonderful balance between sweetness and acidity. Absolutely delicious and perfectly preserved. A heavenly wine, of great consistency.
1967
90 percent Tinto Fino, 7 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Splendid nose reminiscent of Rhône wine. Spicy, deeply aromatic, and pure-bred. Magnificent and intense flavor of Northern Rhône wine: violets and licorice, with a perfect balance between fruit, acidity, and tannins. Fresh yet subtle and complex. Pleasant and full-bodied, with an intense fruity finish. One of my Unicos favorites. In 2013, a sweet nose with a touch of violet. Great sweetness on the palate, delicate and filigree in texture. It danced delightfully in the mouth.
1968
70 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. A true Burgundian flash on the nose. Sweet, mature, and classy on the palate. A truly delicate texture. Powerful fruit attack. Magnificent chocolate touch on the finish. In 2013, overwhelmingly spicy, expressive, and full of personality. Now the fruit dominates over the chocolate. No one can resist it; it’s a true delight—enjoy it whenever you can.
1969
85 percent Tinto Fino, 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. In 2013, with that sweet aniseed nose characteristic of Unico. Very dense licorice flavor, with a presence of mint. Despite the glycerin on the teeth, it has absolute elegance. It finishes with a fresh and sweet flourish of immense beauty, bidding farewell to the miraculous 1960s with great style.
1970
70 percent Tinto Fino, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. A superb aromatic bouquet. Sweet and seductive. So absolutely round and complete that it is “spherical”! A spicy fusion and a colossal wine. A magnum I drank paired with Scottish woodcock was divine, with a nose of blackberries macerated in liqueur and flavors of gummy candy and licorice—never losing a glorious touch of glycerin. In 2013, an incredibly multifaceted nose with milk chocolate, a youthful flavor of pure enchantment. It is always a Vega Sicilia hallmark that majestically defends its ground.
1972
60 percent Tinto Fino, 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 15 percent Merlot, Malbec, and Albillo. Nose of ink and mineral, smoky and chocolaty. Despite its great impact, it is absolutely delicate. Refined texture, deep elegance, and a lace-like finish. On the nose, a magnum showed mineral notes tinged with mint aroma. The flavor was dense and spicy, with plenty of glycerin to counterbalance the tannins. A roasted coffee finish, but sweet in the end. In 2013, it showed a fleshy splendor throughout.
