Vega Sicilia Alion 2020

The Wine Advocate: 2020 was drier than usual until the harvest, when it rained and diluted the grapes, and they had to wait for concentration to recover. The result is that the 2020 Alión has better balance and freshness. They felt the skins were very ripe and could extract more, using a little more American oak (4%) in ageing. Since 2019 they have kept the press wine separate until June, and keep separate amounts of press wine aged in different vessels, depending on the quality of the wine. They used a percentage of concrete and wooden vats for ageing, which gives the wine more verticality and freshness. A subtle, elegant Alión, not as dense as some other vintages, but with good balance and very elegant tannins. In 2020 they produced 285,485 bottles of this wine, 7,115 magnums and some larger formats. It was bottled in May 2022.

Tim Atkin: Made from a total of 35 different plots, mainly in Padilla de Duero, Pesquera de Duero and Valbuena de Duero, this Alión is seductively perfumed and benefited from a cooler, damper spell in mid-September. Spicy vanilla, coconut and dark chocolate oak flavours frame a youthful, dark-fruited palate, with the structure and freshness to age well in bottle. 2025–32.

James Suckling: There's a finesse and elegance to this red, with blackberries, black olives, iron and terracotta. Medium to full-bodied, with slightly chewy tannins and a savoury finish. It will soften nicely with time. Try after 2025.