2010 Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único

I've always liked the 2010 Único, and this magnum didn't disappoint me. It was a very good and complete year. The wine is still young and lively, but the primary aromas are starting to fade and the tertiary ones are coming out. This is a very elegant vintage of Único. 3,362 magnums were filled in June 2016. Artwork by Eduardo Naranjo.

94% Tinto Fino, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Spring frost in May but fine thereafter. Yield 25 hl/ha. Bottled June 2016: 85,185 bottles, 3,362 magnums, 228 double magnums and 36 Impériales. From magnum. Transparent crimson. Quite a bit paler than the 2012. Opulent, voluptuous and relatively evolved on the nose. Lifted, heady. Sweet molasses sensation. Rich and edgy. This has developed quite fast and is very Spanish (cf 2012). Essence of Tempranillo sculpted into a glass. Excellent acidity and vivacity.

Silky and polished, with a medium to full body and very fine, tight tannins. Layers of sour cherries, Spanish cedar, nutmeg, lemon peel, balsamic and licorice. Intensely spicy throughout. Goes on for minutes. Still needs time. Tasted from magnum. Try after 2023.