1965 Vega Sicilia Unico
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Tasting notes
I might be a bit partial to the 1965 Único, because it's from my birth year and I discovered this vintage, which was considered one of the worst of the century, when a friend of my father's gave me a magnum that he had purchased on release. I drank it with little hope during my 40th birthday but was very pleasantly surprised. As I mentioned, some of these old vintages with lower ripeness and higher acidity have aged quite well. I've since drunk a few more bottles, and they have all been good to very good. It was produced with 75% Tinto Fino, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot and Albillo. It had a long élevage, some 15 years in oak containers of different sizes, including a few years in 22,000-liter oak vats, where evolution is quite slow, and it was finally bottled in March 1980. It's a bit ashy and smoky with a hint of burnt sugar and an earthy twist. It's good to very good on its own, but it suffers in a comparative tasting, when you could feel some of the shortages of the vintage. Still, they produced 91,000 bottles and 2,000 magnums. The label has a painting from C. Toral, a still life called "Frutas con paño."
Critic scores
Neal Martin
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
75% Tinto Fino, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and Albillo. ‘This vintage remained in the fermentation room for the first year. In September 1966 it was then placed in 22,000 litre wooden wine presses where it remained for the next 3 years, with six-monthly racking. It was passed on to 576-litre hogsheads in August 1969 where it remained until August 1970 in which it was transferred to old 225-litre casks. It remained here with yearly racking until March 1980, the date on which it was bottled.’ 91,000 bottles and 2,000 magnums. From magnum. Rich and lightly torrefied. Sweeter and fruitier than the 1968 with some coffee notes. (JR)
Looks quite like the 1967 too. A bit of TCA on the nose. Good ripe fruit. Drying out a bit. (JR)
The 1965 is a blend of 80% Tinta Fino, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec and Merlot. The bottle in January was more representative and a real surprise. It had a sedate, almost tertiary nose with cedar and peppermint. It is almost aloof when compared to the 1967. The palate was beautifully balanced with cough candy on the entry that leads to an almost Port-like finish with hints of kirsch. There is a sense of completeness to the 1965 that is irresistible. Caveat emptor, for a second bottle in June 2012 appeared far more subdued and foursquare. 91,000 bottles produced. Drink now-2020. Aug 2012, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Vega Sicilia is undoubtably Spain’s most famous winery; a true icon in fine wine with a history dating back to 1864.