Vega Sicilia - Alion Ribera del Duero 2019

Alión is formed by a careful selection of plots spread across the best of Ribera del Duero. These plots, which complement each other, joined by the same viticulture as Vega Sicilia, have given rise to firm structured wines. Of outstanding personality, lots in Alion are guided through 12 months ageing in French oak barrels and 5% American oak, to obtain maximum complexity from the diversity of soil.

Alión is a fleshy, complex, intense wine, where elegance plays a differentiating role and is the winery´s hallmark. It is definitely modern, genuine and multicultural in character. A perfect pairing.

"The 2019 Alión was cropped from a drier vintage compared with the average, and the wines from that year tend to be powerful, concentrated and with structure. They shortened the maceration by 11 days and used concrete for part of the élevage, trying to reduce the impact from the oak in the wine. They define 2019 as a powerful, concentrated and juicy vintage, sensual and unctuous. The wine is ripe at 15% alcohol and has mellow acidity (4.4 grams) and a pH of 3.88, reflecting the warm and dry year that delivered powerful and concentrated wines, similar to the wines from 2015. It's quite fruit-driven, ripe and juicy, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins despite the limited pumping over they did to avoid extracting too much, and the maceration was also shortened." - 94 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Ripe, tarry plums and black cherries with violets, rocks, coffee and graphite. Refined notes of balsamic fruit and cocoa powder, too. Full-bodied and juicy with an iron fist of tannins, yet at the same time so velvety and polished. Very long, focused finish, showing lots of finesse and layers. Drinkable now, but better after 2025" - 95 points, James Suckling

Producer: Vega Sicilia

Country: Spain

Region: Castilla y Leon

Varietal: Tempranillo

Appellation: Ribera del Duero

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml