Hi guys,
I have a bottle of this wine from 2010, and I have read some threads here and understand that this wine shall generally rest for 20-25 years before the bottle should be open, if you want the wine to reach its maximum.
However, I feel anxious to open this bottle this coming Saturday, and I wonder if this will be way to early, or if the wine will be good anyway, in spite of missing some years of rest?
Is there anyone here that has tried the 2010, and if so, what is your experiences?
How long should I decant this bottle?
It has been resting for a year in my home in the right temperature in a horizontal position.
I hope there is at least someone here that can help me with my questions.
Best regards
/John Envall
The 2010 has the potential to be a truly great Unico. If you have a lot of it in your cellar, then go for it and get yourself a baseline. Post a note! If not…well, I wouldn’t do it. The youngest I have had is 1996. It was fantastic, but if it had been in my cellar, and not a bargain at a restaurant in Spain, I would not have chosen that stage for opening.
That said, if you insist on opening it, you will get pleasure out of it, but it will be a shadow of what it should be. Give it several hours decant.
Last one I tasted was 1999 and it was still a baby. Friend has an allocation.
A terrific vintage built to last, in all likelihood the wine might still be quite structure-driven and thus aromatically rather underwhelming at the moment. Like Sarah said, if you have a lot of it in your cellar, it’s worth checking out how it’s performing now. If it’s your only bottle, most likely it isn’t ready yet and won’t perform as good as a wine of its price tag could and should.
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Hi and thanks for the comments. I will open the bottle and get myself a baseline. Vivino gives it 4.8 so I guess people love it already now. I don’t have anymore bottles, but I will look for another one and save it until 2035. Feels crazy reading those words. I might not be alive in 15 years 
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Thanks a lot AndyK for the link. That was interesting and helpful reading.
It depends how you like your wine. If you prefer the fruit profile, it’s pretty much ready to go.
Vega releases the Unico into market when they believe it’s ready to drink, almost 10 years after the vintage. Sometimes they keep it longer, when they released 2007 and 2008 before releasing 2005 and 2006.
What I’ve seen at the winery, or whenever someone from the winery uncorks a bottle, is that they open it hours in advance with no decanting. They say something like “open it at lunch to enjoy at dinner”.
I personally open it 4 to 6 hours before, and pour out a bit to see how it is… for example 2007 is pretty friendly and ready to drink after 4 hours open. Others like 2006 seem a bit closed so I decant to open it up right before drinking.
Hope this helps.
Any updates on how it was? I opened a 2010 last year and was seriously underwhelmed given how closed it was. Still bought another case of it because I’m hoping I just had a bad experience. Just opened a 1975 a few weeks ago and boy that was a treat, firing on all cylinders! They really need sooo much time.
I had the 2005 a couple weeks ago. Definitely still showing young but in a good window. Contender for woty 2022 so far.
Wow - superb advice on this thread…having enjoyed a few Unico’s, I’m totally aligned to the comments previously…and honestly doubt that you would regret popping this puppy now.BUT - and I can’t stress this enough - save at least one glass, preferably two - for a 24 hour test and perhaps a 48 hr test. Leave it open on the counter, and try tomorrow night - my hunch is it will be even further evolved and improved. Great to note and share with the community (here or CT) for data points…enjoy and thanks.