Description
When to drink: 2007 to 2028
Parker: 96/100
Unusually hot vintage which is very clear in the harvest date, Sep 17. Ten years ago so early would have been unthinkable (Vega Sicilia has usually been Oct). Our objective was to avoid overripe aromas and heaviness. They tried to optimise fresh fruity aromas. 14-14.5% (usually 13.5-14.5%). 22 hl/ha. Price has gone up quite a bit for the 2003. Mid crimson and relatively light aromas with just a hint of greenness. A hint of oak on the nose still. Certainly no shortage of acidity and nice balance. Lots of tannins and a light chew on the finish. Impressive length. Jancis Robinson
AN EXCEPTIONAL WINE FROM VEGA SICILIA
With the vision of creating wines for the 21st century, Vega Sicilia expanded along the Duero in the 1990s and founded two trend-setting bodegas, Alion (D.O. Ribera del Duero) and Pintia (D.O. Toro). Under the direction of Xavier Ausas, Vega Sicilia's chief oenologist, two great wine personalities are being produced as single-varietal Tempranillos, which, as representatives of their respective regions and of Spanish wine, are unanimously causing storms of enthusiasm worldwide. The new, excellent vintages are yet another enormous improvement for both Pintia and Alion.
The name Alion is a tribute to the nearby city of León, the birthplace of the current company patriarch David Alvarez. The Alvarez family has owned Bodegas Alion since 1992. The winery's 50 hectares of vineyards are planted almost exclusively with Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), from which the single-varietal Alion is made. The noble 25 to 30-year-old vines produce particularly aromatic, concentrated grapes, the best material for a great wine
