Vega Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico 2010

Tim Atkin

Perfection is as rare in wine as it is in most things in life, but this is a stunning Único, reflecting the quality of one of the greatest vintages of the last century. Blended with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, as it was in 2009, it's still a very youthful wine right now, with closeknit tannins, thrilling acidity, layers of spices, fresh earth, tobacco, red and black fruits, some oak sweetness and a wonderfully refreshing, leafy undertone. Simply stunning.

James Suckling

This is still very tight and closed with so much depth and beauty. The linear line to this is very vertical and draws you down. It shows intense blackberry, dark-chocolate, hazelnut and walnut character. Full body. Chewy yet extremely polished. Precise. Shows decadence. So drinkable already, but better in 2022.

Decanter

Único is Tinto Fino, with 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, in contrast to Valbuena No.5, which has a small dash of Merlot. It opens with alluring aromas of dark plums, spice and oak. As expected, it's powerful, intense and very long, but within that you can note the very fine tannins, the result of the assiduous attention to ageing in different types and sizes of vats over the years. There's an element of tobacco smoke, of black fruits, of the dark plums promised in the aromas, the whole beautifully integrated. A vintage and a wine that's hard to better. This has 25 to 30 years ahead of it, but you could also enjoy it within a few years - that's the essence of Vega Sicilia, its interplay of youth and ageability

Vinous

Opaque violet. Intensely perfumed, expansive black and blue fruit preserve, potpourri, Moroccan spice and botanical herb scents are complemented by smoky mineral and vanilla flourishes. Sappy, penetrating and deeply concentrated on the palate, offering vibrant, mineral-laced black currant, bitter cherry, chewing tobacco, mocha and floral pastille flavors that deepen and turn sweeter on the back half. Shows superb focus and vibrant, floral lift on the wonderfully long, youthfully tannic finish, which leaves behind cherry liqueur, candied violet and spicecake notes.

Wine Spectator

This red is dense, balanced and complex. Plum, dried currant, cigar box, leather and mineral flavors mingle over ripe, well-integrated tannins. Orange peel acidity keeps this lively through the long, floral finish. Harmonious and graceful, in a classic style.

Robert Parker

I've always liked the 2010 Único, and this magnum didn't disappoint me. It was a very good and complete year. The wine is still young and lively, but the primary aromas are starting to fade and the tertiary ones are coming out. This is a very elegant vintage of Único. 3,362 magnums were filled in June 2016. Artwork by Eduardo Naranjo.

Jancis Robinson

It is magnificent that, even though 10 years have passed, the fruit is still present, in perfect harmony with the tertiary aromas. This is undoubtedly a great vintage for Único. Perhaps among those that will last the longest. Tannin is velvety but present with great depth. I love when the notes of blackcurrant appear on the palate. It is a complete wine and a vintage that will undoubtedly keep going and grow over time. It is one of the most powerful vintages that I can remember.