Vega-Sicilia Único Reserva Especial 1985/1986/1990 (2002 Release)

“Legend in Patina”

From a trio of phenomenal vintages, this Reserva Especial opens with an arresting bouquet of ripe black cherry, plum reduction and cassis, unfolding layers of cedar, dried fig, tobacco leaf and forest floor complexity. There’s an alluring hint of sweet spice and orange zest, all wrapped in a perfume of aged leather and warm earth. On the palate, it’s impeccably balanced, offering a seamless weave of concentrated dark fruit, silky tannins and vibrant acidity that keeps the long finish fresh and magnetic. Echoes of black tea, cocoa powder and a whisper of savoury umami thread through, giving depth and nuance that evolve glass after glass.

For when: the occasion is significant and the company worthy of a slow conversation.
Pairs with: roast lamb, aged ribeye, truffled polenta, or well-aged Manchego.
If this wine were… a well-worn leather armchair in a library lit by afternoon light -layered, thoughtful and timeless.

Vega-Sicilia’s Único Reserva Especial embodies the estate’s philosophy of patience, terroir and time. Assembled from three benchmark vintages, 1985, 1986 and 1990, and released in 2002, this wine has spent decades evolving in bottle, showcasing the extraordinary ageing potential of Spain’s most iconic estate. Único’s signature blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon components gains elegance and complexity with age, while careful maturation in seasoned oak and prolonged bottle ageing allow savoury subtleties and tertiary character to emerge. The result is a wine of rare depth and harmony, where age enhances rather than diminishes, and where every sip feels like a conversation with history itself.

Bottle number: 006334 of 14,060