Vega Sicilia NV Lot Numbers?

WINE TALK
1

Does anyone know of a good reference for the lot numbers of NV Vega Sicilia Especiale Unico? I see that some of the labels indicate which vintages comprise that blend, but others do not, so I am therefore left to rely on the lot numbers on those.

Thanks for your help.

2

From what I understand, for a long time they didn’t disclose the vintages publicly, at least that’s what they said when you asked them. The one place I did see it was when an auction house (Sothebys/Christies??) sold a large parcel of ex chateau Unico, including the Reserva. Seems like that was five or six years ago. In the catalog, they listed many of the lot numbers with the vintages in the blend. I think I have it somewhere - PM me your email address and I will scan it to you later this week (out of town for a couple of days).

3

The labels have changed a number of times over the years depending upon release date and whether it was before or after the DO. If you figure out the release year you can find the component blends for most of the Alvarez period on the Vega Sicilia website.

Aaron

4

Thanks guys. BTW, what is the “DO?”

5

I can’t say our data is perfect, but we did draw from several sources and this is a good starting point.

A.

6

Angelo,

The Denominación de Origen (DO) was put in place in 1982. It changed the label requirements.

Aaron

7

Nice, I hadn’t noticed you guys had done this (even on my bottles in CT). Very cool. And that 1990 bottling is something - 68 and 70. Two of the great vinatages.

8

Thanks Aaron, I hadn’t seen that. Any idea when they started the transparency? They used to be so mysterious about it.

9

Got it. Thx.

10

Brad,

For a while the labels even stated which varieties were included in the wine. I think there have been a few steps over the decades to supply more information but they are still mysterious. If you look at what most contemporary writers have published, it appears that everything comes from the same set of background information. In looking at their website, for the Reserva Especial, they simply group 1915-1918 as a single selection. Those are the pre-Alvarez years. The site lists no component vintages under 1982 yet they do for 1983. There is certainly a bit more information available for the Unico. So perhaps more information due to the 150th anniversary but still lots of mystery.

Aaron