Vega Sicilia Tasting at Wine Watch with Special Guest Puri Mancebo-Lobete, Export Director

With wine and hope, anything is possible.

Spanish Proverb

We hope you can make it to our Vega Sicilia event next Monday night.  We don’t do a lot of events on Monday but I will work late on Monday evening to drink the wines of Vega Sicilia.

Vega Sicilia will be celebrating its 100th birthday for the Unico and Valbuena labels in 2015 and this winery is already among the world’s elite wine brands but now it will be one of the few that has wines that have  been on this earth for 100 years.

Even though the winery has been in the hands of several different families this great estate has always had the people here with the vision of making one of the world’s greatest wines and through the years these families have guided Vega on its course of excellence: Lecanda, Herrero, Garramiola, Renedo, Anadón , Neumann, Garcia and now the Álvarez family is at the helm of this famous estate winery from Spain’s Ribera Del Duero wine region.  It is this kind of stewardship that makes an iconic wine and Vega Sicilia’s owners and winemakers have all put their best foot forward to ensure that this winery will be a legend for many years to come.

Join us as we welcome good friend and Export Director Puri Mancebo-Lobete to show us the newest released from this landmark winery. Wine Watch Catering’s Toni Lampasone will be making a special two course meal to accompany the tasting wines. The fee for this tasting is $115 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Vega Sicilia Tasting at Wine Watch with Special Guest Puri Mancebo-Lobete, Export Director
Monday, April 15th
7pm

Oremus Dry Tokaji ‘Mandolas’ Hungary 2010
Price: $24.75 Sale $21.78 Case $253

Considered the greatest dry white in Hungary, Mandolas is the only Grand Cru vineyard in Tokaji dedicated to producing a dry wine. Fermented and aged in 100% new Hungarian oak the wine shows spicy stone fruit, citrus peel and honeysuckle notes, with rich palate weight and a cleansing, mineral-laden finish.

Bodegas Pintia Toro 2008
Price: $69.00 Sale $60.72 Case $704

The Alvarez family began researching and making judicious purchases of top vineyard sites in 1997, half of which were already planted with mature 25 to 50 year old vines. The estate now possesses 96 hectares of land, including a state-of-the-art vinification and ageing facility. The 2001 vintage was the first release, after 4 years of experimental vintages. The wine is 100% Tinta de Toro, the superior local clone of Tempranillo, aged 1 year in new oak (70% French, 30% American),and a further 2 or more years in bottle prior to release. It displays the style and class of a Vega Sicilia Group wine, but with the extra spicy, forceful presence of a Toro.
“Opaque ruby.Sexy, oak-spiced aromas of cassis, cherry-cola and incense, with a peppery topnote. Offers deeply pitched dark berry compote flavors and brighter notes of allspice and star anise, with a vanilla undertone. Livelier on a finish that leaves suggestions of candied flowers and mocha. Quite suave and approachable already but this one will be better in a few more years.” 92 pts ST

Bodegas Alion Ribera del Duero 2008
Price: $93.00 Sale $81.84 Case $949

Produced from estate vineyards located both around the winery and within the historic Vega Sicilia vineyards. Pablo Alvarez, managing director of Vega Sicilia, calls Alion “a wine somewhere between a Ribera del Duero and a Medoc in style”. The wine is 100% Tempranillo, called locally Tinto Fino. Winemaking in the modern Bordeaux cru classé style, using state-of-the-art equipment and lots of top quality new French oak.  Fermentation and Malolactic take place in large wooden vats, to create a modern interpretation that differs from its older siblings 10 mins down the road.

“…heavenly bouquet of black plum, crushed violets and tobacco that soar from the glass, while displaying a level of delineation that would serve a lesson to many of its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, silky-smooth tannins that belie the structure underneath. The acidity lends the 2008 a little more edginess than the 2007, while the finish has a wonderful sense of symmetry and focus. World class. Drink 2016-2025+”.WA 95

Vega Sicilia Valbuena Ribera Del Duero 2007
Price: $187.50 Sale $165 Case $1913

Valbuena  is not a second Wine, but a different style to Unico. It is fresher and provides a more supple palate, with 3 years spent in oak and a further 2 years in Bottle prior to release.  Tempranillo is blended with a small amount of Merlot and Malbec, and occasionally some Cabernet Sauvignon.”…lush dark berry fruits interlaced with scents of espresso and bay leaf. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity with a composed, focused finish of black cherries, raspberry, cedar and mocha. The 2007 has great precision and focus. It is more feminine and assured than the 2006, but one senses that it is holding something back to charm consumers in five or six year’s time. This is very impressive. Drink 2017-2030” 92pts WA

Vega Sicilia Unico Ribera Del Duero 2000
Price: $450.00 Sale $396 Case $4590

With a modern history dating from 1864 when Bordeaux cuttings were planted on the property alongside the native Tempranillo (Tinto Fino), this legendary wine has earned the reputation as Spain’s “First Growth”, one of the very greatest red wines in the world. Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon blended. A complicated barrel regime for 7 years of ageing was followed by 3 years in bottle prior to release. A very low-yielding vintage with abundant structure and intensity. “Aromas of Asian spices, lavender, incense, truffle, and confiture of black fruits are compelling. Sweet, forward, rich and hedonistic, it nevertheless has the balance and structure to continue evolving for another 5-10 years. In strong vintages Vega Sicilia drinks well at age 50 and I would expect the same of the 2000.”97 Pts WA

Oremus Tokaji Furmint Late Harvest Hungary 2008 (375ml)
Price: $28.50 Sale $25.08 Case $291

The wine is made from whole bunches of Furmint grapes, 60% of which are affected by noble rot or botrytis. These bunches are crushed, macerated for a day and fermented in stainless steel tanks before being transferred to Hungarian oak casks for six months. The resulting wines are delicious, with aromas of peach, apricot, honey and a distinct earthiness from the botrytis. Most importantly, the Late Harvest Tokaji has laser-like acidity that balances the sweetness and leaves the palate clean, refreshed and begging for more. 90 Points WS

Oremus Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos Hungary 2003 (500ml)
Price: $80.25 Sale $70.62 Case $839

Mainly Furmint with small amounts of Harvslevelü and Muscat de Lunel berries, all 100% Aszu. Fermented and aged in new Hungarian oak (136L) casks for 30 months prior to bottling. A clean, fruit-forward style of Tokaji Aszu that balances sweetness with mouthwatering acidity. Combining aromas and flavors of peach, apricot, citrus and spice with a touch of earthiness and zippy acidity, a world class dessert wine that can stand amongst the greatest Sauternes or Eisweins. Previous vtg was 93 points WS

Menu

Jamon de Serrano, Spanish Manchego, Olives and Tortilla Espanola

Mesquite Grilled Rack of Lamb with onion potato Torta and minted hollandaise

Candied orange crème flan with pistachio brittle tuile cookies

A brief History of Vega Sicilia

The history of this estate began in 1848, when Toribio Lecanda, a landowner of Basque origin, bought a 2,000 hectare estate used for agriculture and cattle farming from the Marquis of Valbuena.

Eloy, son of Toribio Lecanda, founder of the Vega Sicilia winery in 1864, bought 18,000 shoots of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and pinot noir in Bordeaux, to be used in the making of brandy and ratafias. In 1876, in the Philadelphia Fair, Lecanda obtained a quality certificate for his brandies. That same year, he succeeded in achieving the position as supplier to the Royal Family, and in 1880, he obtained the Grand Cross of Isabel the Catholic; all before the birth of the red wine that was to make the company famous.

1904. The incorporation of Domingo Garramiola

With the estate having been acquired by the Herrero family, it is rented to Cosme Palacio, who creates the winery of Domingo Garramiola, a person who is crucial to the history of Vega Sicilia.

Domingo Garramiola Txomin was born in Marquina-Echevarría on 1st October 1878. In Vega Sicilia, Domingo used Bordeaux techniques for making wine. He renewed the aging casks and, above all, made great efforts in cleaning the wine presses.

1915. The birth of two exceptional wines

The hard work of Txomin Garramiola gave fruit in 1915, with the birth of two exceptional wines: Vega Sicilia and Valbuena. These wines followed along the lines of the Rioja wines of the day: lengthy aging in vats and wooden casks and bottled to order.

The distribution of these first bottles began among the upper class bourgeoisie and the aristocracy, but not for commercial purposes. The owners of the winery offered this wine as a gift to the good friends of the family. Thus began the forging of the legend of Spain´s most exclusive wine, as it cannot be bought with money, but only with friendship.

1929. Prize at the World Fair

The wines of Vega Sicilia reached great public recognition thanks to prizes such as that of the World Fair in Barcelona in 1929, awarded to the 1917 and 1918 harvests.

1933. The Death of Domingo Garramiola

Surrounded by his family in his house in Vega Sicilia, Domingo Garramiola died in 1933. The winemaker left a very personal stamp on the best classic Spanish wine. The responsibility of continuing with his work fell on his closest collaborator, Martiniano Renedo.

1956- The arrival of Jesús Anadón to Vega Sicilia

Jesús Anadón joined the wineries in 1956. He was to be director of the company for several decades and his incorporation was transcendental to Vega Sicilia and he started up the Ribera del Duero Designation of Origin.

1982. The Álvarez family acquired Bodegas Vega Sicilia

The current stage began in 1982, when David Álvarez acquired the winery and the vineyards from the Venezuelan businessman Miguel Neumann. Since that year, the Álvarez Mezquíriz family has developed a policy of harmonization of present innovative techniques required by the wine sector with the traditional winemaking process. The vineyard area has been extended and a modernization process has taken place both in and out of the winery.

1985. The retirement of Jesús Anadón

The retirement of Jesús Anadón meant the leaving of a man who assumed his responsibilities as director and oenologist of Vega Sicilia in a highly personal way. On his departure, Pablo Álvarez took full possession of the general management of the winery; the oenology area was taken on by Mariano García, who had been Jesús Anadón´s assistant since joining the company in 1968.

1992. Creation of Bodegas Alión

Investigations led to the doors of Bodegas Liceo, a company founded in 1990 and located in Peñafiel (Valladolid). The winery had just begun and had all the technological requirements required. After lengthy discussion, the family acquired the winery on 5th November 1992.

Alión was born; a name laden with emotion as it corresponds to the town of León in which the family patriarch, David Álvarez, was born.

1993. The Álvarez family arrives in Hungary

In 1993, Vega Sicilia founds Tokaj Oremus. The personality of the Álvarez family adds to the historic tradition of both wines. Pablo Álvarez, managing director of Vega Sicilia, is also responsible for this new project. The wine is studied in great detail and with great respect, together with its significance, its laborious winemaking process, historical practices... An experienced team of professionals with good knowledge of the region´s wines is also sought.

From the moment the vineyards were founded to present day, the Álvarez family, respecting the Tokaj traditions, has made considerable investment in Tokaj Oremus with a view to increasing the technical level of the treatment of the grape and the winemaking installations, so as to make the best wines possible. The objective of the Álvarez family is to give its former grandeur to this vineyard, which is one of the best situated, the most emblematic and significant of Tokaj.

1998. Consolidation of a team of expert oenologists

1998 saw the incorporation of Xavier Ausás into the technical management of the winery group after working for six years as oenologist in Vega Sicilia. Xavier, together with Begoña Jovellar, is the father, master and educator of the company´s wines.

2000. Primum Familiae Vini and Vega Sicilia

Primum Familiae Vini, and organisation formed by the twelve family-run wineries of the highest international prestige, which includes Vega Sicilia, held its annual reunion on the state, presided by Pablo Álvarez.

The year 2000 was also the year which saw the end of the renovation and modernisation process of the winery.

2001. Purchase and constitution of Bodegas Pintia

Bodegas Pintia is the new project that is to promote Vega Sicilia. The desire of the Álvarez family is to make the best Toro wine, a designation that gives wines body, exoticism, an explosion of aromas, and a modern personality and character.

For this, since the harvest of 1997, 70 hectares of vineyard have been bought in different places within the Designation of Origin. After four years´ study of the concept of the wine, it is begun to be made in 2001 for commercial purposes. The strategy of this new winery is common to all those in the group: make wines with personality and high quality, which implies limited production of wine.