Vega Sicilia Unico: 2008, 2007, 2002 & 1962

I had the distinct privilege of lunching again with Mr Pablo Alvarez at Iggy’s on another of his frequent visits to Singapore on 13 January 2024…

Champagne Laculle Frères Le Petit Point Rouge Brut Nature Rosé NV. Light orangey-red hue, exuding a distant rosy fragrance with fine clarity and intensity of grapefruit. Very well balanced with a smooth rounded easy charm, not too dry. The winemaker married a Singaporean woman. Hence, the name (meaning Little Red Dot) refers to Singapore, the map of which is shown on the label.

2005 Domaine Rollin Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Poured from magnum. Dull golden. Secondary nose of glazed characters, gradually revealing excellent presence of cool citrus tinged with early secondary characters of grapefruit, walnuts and cashews, displaying youthful freshness and deft agility along with measured restraint and elegant intensity. Very subtly layered, developing a sheen of smooth emulsion whilst maintaining its lithe transparency. I must admit not having encountered this producer before but it is superb!

2011 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5^o. Deep purple. Highly delicious nose of crushed red fruits, cherries and currants that went fairly deep on the medium-weight palate. Very smoothly delineated with lithe transparency, developing further notes of mocha and cocoa but this wine is all about the nose.

2008 Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Tasted blind along with the 2008 Vega Sicilia Unico below. Very deep in colour, highly alluring in red fruits tinged with capsicum, displaying superb integration with a lovely glowing clarity, structured with cool sophisticated tannins. Very naturally balanced, growing in weight and stature over the next hour with an eminent Graves signature of earthy vegetal tones.

2008 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Tasted blind, but this is obviously an Unico through and through. Opaque deep purple, proffering an enticing bouquet of cherries, raspberries, other red fruits and currants amid overtones of paraffin. There is plenty of depth and intricate detail on the medium-full palate, still not quite entirely resolved but the refined acidity and velvety tannins are already so beautifully integrated with a lush cushioned succulence, imparting plenty of verve. This will turn out to be legendary.

2007 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Deep purple, slightly crimson at the rim. Distant warmth of red fruits and crushed cherries on the nose. The sleek medium palate is very well delineated, imbued with sublime acidity that exert moderate intensity. Highly integral and elegant, finishing with good length. Made from very low yields due to September frost, this wine has entered into an early phase of maturity compared with its youthful exuberance nine years ago, also tasted then in the presence of Pablo Alvarez.

2002 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson. Exuberant bouquet of fresh red fruits, rose petals and haw. Very sleek and lithe, open with exalted refined intensity, yet distinctly feminine. Still amazingly youthful. Another great Unico in the works.

1962 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Tasted with palpable anticipation. Still showing quite a deep purplish-crimson tint, this septuagenarian proffers a lifted bouquet of capsicum and kumquat with a tinge of earthy pungency, boasting the trademark lithe agility and amazing freshness. Absolutely integral, the fruit and acidity still very lively without any sign of fatigue or dryness though it did fade just a little after about ninety minutes. Memories of the 1968, 1967 and 1942 came to mind, proving that Unico still trumps most clarets when it comes to longevity.

Vega Sicilia Especial (blend of 1994, 1995, 2000). Deeply coloured. Full sweet nose of very ripe berries and currants that carried onto the palate with a tinge of banana, almost hedonistic in its tremendous verve and vibrancy from the deep layers of fruit. Superbly fresh and agile, imbued with sublime acidity, structured with unobtrusive tannins. Impeccably balanced, not at all heavy.

Tempos Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Aszú Puttonyos 6^o. Fairly dark. Delicate tones of nectarine dominate with deft agility and lightness, boasting a balanced sweetness underscored by superb understated acidity. Not at all weighty nor cloying. A study in effortless grace.