Bodegas Alion
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Bodegas Alion,
Ready, but will keep,
Alion is now entering superstar territory; 2004 in Spain is being re-appraised in a up-ward direction. It should therefore not come as a syllogistic surprise that Alion 2004 is an exceptional wine. The benevolent conditions of 2004 were characterised by Spring rainfall and a very lengthy and warm ripening season all the way up to the late September harvest; the wine is appropriately dark of hue, with a nose of aniseed, spice, sousbois and blackcurrant. On the palate the tannins are fine but powerful, the fruit is dark, velvety and rich. The edifice is powerful and young, but finely wrought in its architectural complexity. The key things that have struck me in the 2004 are firstly how complimentary the wine is to its Vega siblings, secondly how much more polished it is stylistically than in previous vintages. Created in 1991 to be the modern more Francophile face of Vega Sicilia, Alion ages its wines entirely in new oak barriques ( 225 ltrs) sourced in Nevers, but crafted in the internal cooperage. Located 11 km from Vega, in the village of Palidda de Duero, the winery sits in a carefully managed natural environment, its tapestry of forests and scrubland manicured to ensure the integrity of the microclimate.
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Bodegas Alión was formed in 1986, owned by but run separately to its neighbour, the great Vega Sicilia.
This 85-hectare wine estate was founded by the Álvarez family (who also own the Toro estate Bodegas Pintia) to provide a modern expression of Ribera del Duero. The wine is made with 35 hectares around the winery, as well as a further 50 hectares dedicated to Alión within the historic Vega Sicilia vineyards.
Unlike Vega Sicilia, where we find a merging of traditional and modern winemaking techniques, Alión is made using state-of-the-art equipment. Forward and uncompromising, these are wines with impressive frames and show an alternative side of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo).