2011 - Unico, Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero

Deep, shimmering ruby. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, vanilla, pipe tobacco, exotic spices, cola and potpourri. Deeply concentrated and energetic on the palate, offering smoke-laced black currant, cherry liqueur, spicecake and mocha flavors that display outstanding clarity and pick up a candied violet nuance on the back half. Polished, steadily building tannins frame the finish, which hangs on with outstanding, mineral- and floral-driven tenacity.

The 2011 Único ended up among my least favorite vintages of recent times, at least the magnum I tasted and in comparison with the 2013 and 2009 and even the 2007 (a very challenging vintage that showed better). Despite the warm year (which they have always said they found cooler than 2010), the wine is "only" 14% alcohol, which is quite moderate for the last few years when the wines routinely reach 14.5%. I found the wine to be quite tannic and lacking the charm I expect in this cuvée. Perhaps with more time? The grapes were picked relatively early, between September 15th and 28th. 3,505 magnums were filled in June 2017.

95% Tinto Fino, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Frost-free spring, warm but regular growing season and ‘excellent’ vintage conditions; harvest 15–28 September. Bottled June 2017: 88,288 bottles, 3,505 magnums, 318 double magnums, 60 Impériales and 3 Salmanazars. From magnum.Mellow nose and on the palate there’s a sensation rather akin to chewing charcoal. Hums along on the finish. Like the 2013, this is very much a wine for the future. Lots of fine tannins. (JR)