Bodegas Vega Sicilia Alion 2000

Grape variety: 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo)

Country: Spain

Region: Ribera del Duero

Vintage: 2000

Size: 750ml

Body: Medium-plus Bodied

Points: 92 Robert Parker; 91 Stephen Tanzer, 91 Wine Enthusiast, 90 Wine Spectator

Spain's most prestigious wine estate, Bodegas Vega Sicilia, was founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves. The grape cuttings were from Bordeaux and by the 1920s the estate’s wines were already winning acclaim at international wine festivals. Robert Parker has called Vega Sicilia as “one of the world’s most iconic wines.”

Alion is produced using thehand-picked Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) variety. Agedbetween 14 and 20 months, depending on the characteristics of the vintage, isperformed in full in new French oak Bordeaux barrels.

Once the wine is removed from the barrels, it will remain no less than 15 months in the stillness of the bottle, where it will end up assembling all the primary aromas of the fruit with the hues from its delicate ageing, resulting in an intense, complex and fleshy wine, but where the elegance is a distinguishing feature and hallmark of the winery.

Marketed since 1991, the 2000 vintage is probably the best in its history, due to its concentration and elegance and this wine ensures a perfect wine experience. Put this against any Bordeaux in the same price range and see which is better!

Tasting Notes: Leathery, earthy and entirely attractive; this is a wine that doesn't seem to have come off an assembly line.The fruit is power-packed, dealing blackberry and plum along with chocolate and spice. In tasting this it's hard to find any faults.

"Produced by Vega Sicilia’s owners, Alion’s 2000 Ribera del Duero is a beautifully rich offering that was aged 13 months in French oak prior to bottling. A gorgeous perfume of espresso roast,smoked herbs, roasted meat, and black currant liqueur is followed by rich,full-bodied flavors, a velvety texture, and a long, luscious finish.” Robert Parker

Food Matching: Grilled Vegetables, Grilled / Fried Chicken, Grilled Beef, Hard Cheese and Semi-Soft Cheese