Photos By:: Adil Arora
 The very name Vega Sicilia may cause goose bumps in people who are knowledgeable about fine wines of the world. Their Unico is considered the best wine of Spain and in fact might well be a part of the World Eleven of the wine world, in cricket parlance. As a member of PFV (Primum Familiae Vini- a group of family owned prestigious wineries mostly from Europe-whose President is Frederic Drouhin of Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy), they have been to India before too. But if most Indians might still think of it as an Italian winery they could well be forgiven. In fact, the Sicilians owe them for helping them give a quality image makeover.
Bodega Vega Sicilia is an iconic Spanish winery that is now a part of the group having three other wineries including Oremus in Tokaj. It was founded in 1864 in Ribera del Duero and for almost a century was the only winery between Rioja and Jerez (where Sherry has been made for centuries), Puricacion Mancebo informed the members of the Delhi Wine Club as they were finishing their refilled glasses of Louis Roeder Brut, an all-time welcome champagne that worked very well with the excellent Canapés.
In 1991, the group owners, the Alvarez family, opened Bodegas Alión, a winery next door with the aim of producing more modern style wine, aged in new French oak barriques. In 1997, they bought Bodegas Pintia, a winery in the nearby Toro wine region. Oremus was purchased in Tokaj, Hungary where they make the world famous sweet Tokaji as well as the dry versions one of which using Furmint grapes was part of the Menu tonight.
Puricacion (Puri to us in India) has the easiest and the toughest job looking after the exports of wines of her group. While the quality is immaculate and well recognized making it very easy to sell, some of them like Vega Sicilia Unico are on allocation and could perhaps be sold in one American city alone and they could all sing Viva Las Vegas! But the high price tag and the policy of selling wines in more countries including India where Brindco has the onerous task of convincing the top 5-star hotels about the iconic status of some of the wines which are naturally pricy too, makes her job tough, she concedes. Her problem is that the wines are not only perceived as expensive but are actually so.
 Mud Crab Thermidor and pan seared Gravadalax was an excellent match with the Bodegas Alion 2007. Made from 100% Tempranillo grapes, the smooth textured wine feels warm and full on the palate. A bouquet of complex spices explodes in your nose. These spicy aromas carry into the flavours which also have blackberry and dark cherry notes. It’s a well structured wine with ripe tannins, making it juicy in the end that is long.
Potato and leek soup was well paired with Vega Sicilia Unico 2000, the top wine of Spain made from 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon released early this year (releasing after 10 years of maturing is a standard practice for this wine) it was dark and inky- beautifully perfumed with floral and berry aromas, well balanced with a lot of finesse and elegance. The tannins were well-rounded and although one might think it as powerful with muscles and good structure, it had a measured proportion of femininity about it with a touch of gentle sweetness. One could not be faulted for thinking and comparing it to a Grand Cru Burgundy.
As Puri explained to us, Vega Sicilia Unico is not produced every vintage. In poor vintages grapes are sold but never the wine as bulk. Therefore, usually 0-100,000 bottles are made every vintage, the number printed on each bottle- these bottles showed 108,000. They also produce a label Valbuena which is aged for 5 years and is considered the second wine, though it has Merlot as the blending grape. Vintage 2001 was not considered good enough for Unico so none was made. This means that the company would be obliged to distribute 2000 and 2002 between now and 2012, she said. Not an enviable job allocating a collectable wine in limited supply!
After tasting Vega Sicilia, it would be a tough act for any wine that follows to match. Pintia 2007 on its own would be a very good match for the Grilled lamb chops placed on top of Pommes Anna, beautifully shaped like a square slice of bread. The wine was fuller bodied; dark black cherry coloured wine made from 100% Tempranillo known as Tinto di Toro in this region, it was fairly spicy with shade of black pepper in the back layer and the usual berry aromas upfront. Balanced oak gives it an added vanilla flavour on the palate besides the berry and dark cherry dancing on the mid palate.
Unfortunately, it did feel like a step down after the elegant and feminine Unico. Pintia felt slightly grainy and rough at the edges- a perfect example of why an elegant, matured and balanced fine wine should be left to be the last to serve and savour.
If Pintia was shown up by the towering Unico, Oremus Mandola dry Furmint was a disastrous combination with the Coffee Bruleé and even the cheese platter which was a good selection on its own. A few sips of Pintia were a better match with the cheese, especially the hardened seasoned cheese. The Hungarian white wine was too dry for either and perhaps for any dessert. It would have made a perfect combination as an aperitif with the Canapés.
Oremus is known for its sweet Tokaji (the sweetness is measured in Puttonyos-higher the number, sweeter it is). Tokaji Aszú that has varied degree of sweetness from 3-6 Puttonyos. Tokaji Aszú 4 Puttonyos would have been perfect for the Bruleé. For me, it would be heavenly to have their Tokaji Aszú Eszencia which has more than 6 Puttonyos, as the perfect dessert by itself but alas, these wines are not easily available in India due to a lack of demand and appreciation for this Hungarian nectar.
 It was a unanimous opinion of the members that the red wines tonight were perhaps the best wines served at the DWC club dinner- barring perhaps the recent Gaja dinner. The PDR at Spectra is a perfect venue for a wine dinner and the food quality and service were commensurate with the plush ambience. But I would have to wait for yet another dinner with wines from Grupo Vega Sicilia- perhaps with Unico 2002, when the food-match pairing is given due importance to give the synergy these Vega Sicilia wines are so capable of giving to the right food, making it an ecstatic gastronomical experience.
Subhash Arora |