1967 Vega Sicilia Unico

Bright old ruby. Lots of bright fruit. Drying out a little but lots of fun. (JR)

A little-known vintage, as the even years from the sixties are very famous, but the odd ones are not. The label reads Vino Fino de Mesa (fine table wine), as the appellation was not created until 1982. A mild and rainy year, with a cool summer that delayed the harvest given the late and difficult ripening of the grapes. 80% Tinto Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining 10% made up of Merlot, Malbec and Albillo. The wine shows the usual conditions of the time, as it spent one year in 30,000-litre vats, a further two years in big oak containers, one more year in 575-litre barrels and a further five years in used and old barriques and finally one more year in big oak containers before bottling. It produced 98,000 bottles that were sold between 1979 and 1983. Fully mature on the nose, with some mushroom, truffle and leather. Fresh, fluent, elegant, not very showy. May I say discreet? A fragile year, but full of character, that evolves quickly in the glass. (LG)

Both the bottle poured in January and then in June 2012 attested to a truly great Unico in this year. The 1967 is a blend of 75% Tinta Fino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec, Merlot and the white grape variety, Albarino. It has superb intensity on the nose with baked black cherries, singed leather, apricot blossom, eau-de-vie and liquorice. It is vivacious and floral, unfolding with each sip. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins, vivacious almost port-like fruit intensity. It is initially a little pinched on the finish, but it expands gloriously with sage, bay leaf and a touch of bitter orange. Superb. 98,500 bottles produced. Drink now-2020+. eRobertParker.com.August, 2012