2013 Vega Sicilia Alion Ribera del Duero 750 ml

A New Flagship Spanish Red from the “Latour of Spain”

Vega Sicilia — the “Latour of Spain” — needs no introduction. Its titanic “Unico” is one of the world’s most legendary, epic, and collectible wines. In 1991, Vega Sicilia’s brilliant, perfectionist owner Pablo Alvarez launched a modern interpretation of the local “Tinto Fino” clone of Tempranillo, fleshing out the precise structure of a Médoc with the sumptuous fruit of Ribera del Duero. A new flagship Spanish wine was born: Alion. Crafted from 30-year-old vines a stone’s throw from the Vega Sicilia vineyards, the 2013 has “great freshness and perfume…an elegant Alion,” says Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, awarding 94 points. Matching that score, James Suckling described it as “a joy to taste” and “focused and beautiful.” This deep, dark, full-throttle release has “unmatched pedigree” says our own Master Sommelier Sur Lucero, who secured 240 bottles for Wine Access clients. At $85 per bottle — compared to the $350+ pricetag of its big brother, “Unico” — this is a pinnacle achievement in modern Spanish winemaking. For lovers and collectors of Spain’s finest wines, this is simply a must-buy.  

The first encounter with a wine from the Vega Sicilia family can be a life-changing experience. Even the most veteran tasters may find their definitions of great Mediterranean wine challenged, possibly even upended. The winery was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, and would go on to become Spain’s original First Growth, rivaling the best of Bordeaux and Napa. In order to offer a new expression, departing from the more traditional style of the iconic “Unico,” Alvarez has tasked Vega Sicilia head winemaker Gonzalo Iturriaga with producing Alion’s 100% Tempranillo using state-of-the-art equipment and aging in French oak.

The results have been nothing short of extraordinary, with Wine Advocate at one point describing the cuvée as “what modern Ribera del Duero should taste like and what it should aspire to.”

A cooler vintage that yielded wines of finesse and elegance, 2013 in Ribera del Duero was won with meticulous vineyard management — something Alion has few peers in.

This is special!

Jonathan Cristaldi
Editor-in-Chief

Cristaldi has worked in the wine industry for nearly a decade as a professional writer, critic, and educator. His published work has appeared in national print and online outlets including Food & Wine, Los Angeles Magazine, SOMM Journal, and many others.