The Vega Sicilia Alion is a dense purple colour, with brooding dark fruit, spice, leather and mineral characteristics. Excellent structure, with firm tannins, and flavours of dark berry and cherry fruit, with a kiss of oak.

Serve with cured meats and hard cheeses.

There are three styles of Vega Sicilia wine made. Good cuvées are bottled as Valbuena and released on to the market after 5 years - typically one year in large wood, 3 years in barrels and a year in bottle. Valbuena tends to include a larger proportion of Merlot in the blend than the even more structured Unico. The finest cuvées are aged first in large wood and then for many years in small barrels until judged ready for bottling, and are released under the designation Unico. These are only released following a minimum maturation period of 10 years combined barrel and bottle. Some barrels of these very finest cuvées are kept back and much later on blended together for inclusion in the Reserva Especial.

Bodegas Alión was founded nearly 15 years ago by the owners of Vega Sicilia whose aims for the wine were radically different. Rather than adhere to the traditional approach to winemaking seen at Vega Sicilia, the Alion wine is made in a modern style, with modern winemaking techniques employed. Alión is pure Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and is matured in new French oak for up to 18 months.