Vega Sicilia

Bodegas Vega Sicilia is a Spanish winery located in the Ribera del Duero Denominación de Origen in the Province of Valladolid, Castile and León (northern Spain).

[1] Since 1982, the same year that the Ribera del Duero was granted Denominación de Origen (DO) status, the winery has been owned by the Álvarez family who are members of the Primum Familiae Vini.

[4] Vega Sicilia was founded in 1864 by Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, a Spanish winemaker who was trained in the Bordeaux wine region of France.

[5] Vega Sicilia is noted for its patience in winemaking and willingness to hold onto their inventory and age their wines in the barrel and bottle for many years until it fits the style that the producers are looking for.

In 1991, the Alvarez family established Alión winery next door to Vega Sicilia with the aim of producing more modern style Tinto Fino red wines that are aged in new French oak barrels.

A bottle of Vega Sicilia Único from the 2000 harvest
A barrel room at Vega Sicilia
Though it not known exactly why the owner of Vega Sicilia chose this name for his winery, the Sicilia in the name refers to the Catholic Saint Cecilia rather than the island of Sicily
A rare 1983 harvest Valbuena 5°
The iconic ivy arch at the winery