Vega Sicilia 1998 Unico (Ribera del Duero)

Lovely tobacco, dried fruit, spice and leather create that unique, classy nose that is Vega Sicilia Unico. This may not be the best recent vintage of this high-flying wine (1991 and 1994 were better), but it is still quite impressive. The palate is maturing but shows vitality, and the flavors of cherry, tobacco, cracked spice and roasted plums are sublime and backed up by lots of spicy oak. Entirely drinkable now but with the inherent structure to last another decade or two. A Europvin, Christopher Cannan selection, imported by multiple importers, including Michael Skurnik Wines. Michael Schachner