Considered Spain’s most prestigious wine estate, Dominio de Vega Sicilia dates back to 1864 when Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves first brought Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot vine cuttings from Bordeaux and planted them among the country’s prolific Tinto Fino, more commonly known as Tempranillo,Spain’s most important red grape. Located in Ribera del Duero, the wines developed here are notoriously dense and complex, with Unico, its signature wine, holding the honor of being Spain’s most costly and desired among all its competitors. A massive estate, Vega Sicilia spans across 1,000 hectares in total, with approximately one-third of the land used for farming. Operating for over 150 years, the winemaking process has evolved, but the style of wine remains true to its origins. Historically erratic in its consistency, Vega Sicilia has been owned by the Alvarez family since the early 1980s, bringing the estate a better sense of itself and its identity in the international wine world. The primary varietal grown on the property is Tempranillo, with the remaining tracts featuring the fruits of Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves’s labor all those years ago. Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Merlot and a bit of Malbec, enjoy a 20% presence on the land, and are primarily used for blending while Tempranillo remains king. Vega Sicilia produces three cuvées: Unico, the most acclaimed for its rich, robust blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; Reserva Especial, a blend of the estate’s top-tier vintages; and Valbuena, considered the most junior of the three due to its shorter, five-year maturation process. The estate also owns Bodegas Alion, which produces Tempranillo-forward wines for earlier release and consumption. Spanish wines are finding a new generation of fans due to their unique density. For those with a penchant for the richest of red wines, Vega Sicilia would be an ideal choice.