2012 Vega Sicilia Pintia Toro Spain 750 ml

Vega Sicilia’s Bottled Lightning Moves West

The news from today’s offer is not the “who,” but the “where.” Vega Sicilia is possibly the most famous winery in Spain. The first taste of Vega’s wine can be a life-changing experience — even the most experienced of tasters may find their definitions of great Mediterranean wine challenged, possibly even upended.

After making wine in Ribera del Duero for over 110 years, it’s unsurprising that an estate like Vega might want to branch out — so in the middle 1990s, they looked west, down the Douro to the developing region of Toro. Tempranillo had been grown in Toro for hundreds of years, but never reached the fame of Ribera del Duero, further east, up river. Vega set out to change all that with the purchase of vineyards in 1997 and the inaugural 2001 release of “Pintia.”

Toro, deeper into the interior of Spain, is also at a slightly lower elevation than Ribera del Duero. These factors combine to produce an overall hotter, sunnier climate — so pick dates are critical to avoid elevated sugar levels. The local thick-skinned clone of Tempranillo, Tinta de Toro, also provides a familiar grape to work with in the cellar, making the transfer of Vega’s technical expertise even more linear.

“Pintia” is made from mostly ungrafted, head-trained vines 40-60 years in age. The stellar 2012 vintage gave them all they needed, with typically hot days followed by cool, high desert-like nights. Picking started relatively early, on September 15th, to main the vital acidity and freshness needed to balance Pintia’s massive fruit character — see our tasting note below. The wine was aged in 75% new French oak and 25% American oak, then stored in Vega’s cold dark cellars for nearly four years prior to release. The first bottles are emerging now.

Vega Sicilia’s magic is usually out of the reach of most. Now, this truly world-class bottling offers a chance to experience that top-flight Vega quality without clearing out your bank account. $75 on release. Just $57.99 today. Shipping included on 3. With just 250 bottles in our cellars, this opportunity won’t last long.