Único Ribera del Duero, Vega Sicilia 2013 75cl
Único is Spain's most storied red, and the 2013 is a rarity: released only when Vega Sicilia judges a vintage worthy, this cooler, more classical year produced a wine of poise rather than sheer power. Tinto Fino with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, it spends the best part of a decade in cask and bottle before it ever reaches you.
The estate at Valbuena de Duero has been making Único since 1864, ageing it far longer than almost any other fine wine on earth, often ten years across large and small oak before release. Each bottling is a blend built for balance, and 2013's fresher character has drawn comparisons to the estate's more delicate historic vintages.
The glass reveals a wine of extraordinary detail: red and black cherry, dried rose, sandalwood, leather, truffle and a fine dusting of sweet baking spice. The tannins are silk over iron, the acidity bright, the finish seemingly endless. This is complexity you taste in layers rather than all at once.
At £399.99 this is a connoisseur's bottle, and one of the great cellar wines of Europe. It is drinking gorgeously now with generous decanting, yet has decades left in it.
How to Serve
Serve at 17-18°C in large Burgundy or Bordeaux stems. Decant two to three hours ahead; older Único rewards patience.
Where to Drink It
Lurra for its wood-fired Basque beef. Sabor for regional Spanish cooking of real ambition. Barrafina for a celebratory counter seat.
Food Pairings
Roast rib of beef or slow-braised oxtail suits its depth. A plate of aged Manchego lets the wine speak for itself.
