One does not simply walk into Vega. However, sometimes the positive energy you try to put out in the world comes back and the heavens open up or you are very, very lucky. Or both.
Even as our party bus from the hotel in Madrid pulled up to the gates of Vega, we were holding our breath, not truly believing that this was actually going to happen and that they were going to let us in. The gatehouse guard was unsmiling as he diligently checked our passports against the copies that we had sent several months prior. Once the gate opened, our bus was led by uniformed escort to a designated area.
It wasn’t until we got off the bus and a smiling gentleman said the words, “Welcome to Vega Sicilia” did I really let out my breath. Our tour was led by Cesar Roman, who heads their operations in Asia. He was so sweet and answered every one of our questions and took us on an extensive tour of the property.
Perhaps it’s the marketer in me, but the whole time we were there, all I could think was that Vega Sicilia is a Master Class in branding. Everything was pristine, exact, and served to elevate the brand – from the bins that hold the freshly harvested grapes to the glass surrounding their barrel-washing machine, to all the gutters on the property – were perfect and branded. The design of the property and buildings were a seamless combination of history, tradition, and the latest technology.
Cesar took us on a tour of the gardens and showed us a grove of young oak trees, telling us that they have planted thousands of American Oaks, in the hope that one day in the (far) future, everything that goes into making the wine will come from Vega itself, including the oak for the barrels.
There is art everywhere you look – from the carvings in the barrel making area to the huge pieces in the cavernous rooms housing the sleeping wine. As we entered the Unico aging room, the phrase “This wine deserves art!” proclaimed itself as the art from the labels stood guard over the young wine.
Our tour concluded with a fabulous tasting of their current wines, which of course, were all outstanding. We were feeling a bit peckish and Cesar recommended a local restaurant in the village that was known for their suckling lamb roasted in clay ovens overnight. The village itself was right out of a storybook and the lamb was some of the best in my life. It was insanely tender and full of flavor. And of course they had Vega in the cellar so we had to have some. What a way to top off the visit of a lifetime!
