Vega Sicilia Alion 2015

Vega Sicilia Alión 2015 is a full-bodied Tempranillo red wine from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. Neighbouring Vega Sicilia and indeed produced by the winemaking team behind this iconic wine, Alión is distinct in being a thoroughly modern expression of Ribera. Winemaking is executed entirely with modern methods and state-of-the-art equipment. A proportion of the fruit for Alión is sourced from the historic vineyards of Vega Sicilia. "Produced with 100% Tinto Fino or Tempranillo grapes in a modern and fruit-forward style with generous oak, the 2015 Alión is juicy and intense, cropped from a warm and dry year that delivered a 15% alcohol red that is voluptuous and hedonistic. It matured for 12 to 14 months in oak barrels, mostly French and mostly new. At first I found it quite ripe, with black rather than red fruit, a little earthy and with a touch of licoricey and ink. The palate reveals abundant, slightly dusty tannins without the quality they had in 2014; it`s a little dry on the finish, a riper and more powerful vintage of Alión. The nose improved tremendously with time in the glass as it opened up, but the tannins remained quite present. It might need a little more time in bottle to polish those edges. 230,730 bottles and some larger formats where produced. It was bottled in June 2017." Wine Advocate, 2019