Bodegas Alion

Alión was the first 100 percent Tinto Fino wine aged in 100 percent new oak in Ribera del Duero. The winemaking is innovative and independent; ageing takes place in new French oak and the end result is a wine bursting with fruit (red and black) but simultaneously demonstrating a parental level of restraint which will see it age wonderfully in the cellar. This is a connoisseur’s wine which requires patience but will be hugely rewarding for those who can remain steadfast in the face of temptation. 
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer

Bodegas Alión was formed in 1986 as a winery to be run independently to its big brother, the great Vega Sicilia. This 85-hectare estate was founded by the Álvarez family to provide a modern expression of Ribero del Duero. 35 hectares of the estate is located around the winery, with a further 50 hectares dedicated to Alión within the historic Vega Sicilia vineyards. Unlike Vega Sicilia, where we find a merging of the traditional and modern winemaking techniques, Alión is made using state-of-the-art equipment. Forward and uncompromising, these are wines of impressive stature and show an alternative side of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo).

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.

Vega Sicilia's approach to fine Ribera Del Duero has always been Janus-like, with Alion opening up the more modern side of the door. In the early days, there may have been too much emphasis on the difference, but now, with nearly 20 year's ownership and experience, the correct balance has been achieved. And balance, as always, is key here.

The 2007 Alion is the product of a relatively cool season; relativity is fundamental in this part of the world, of course, and the mild conditions have engendered a wine of great elegance and charm. 14 months of ageing in Nevers oak has ensured that the tannins have grip and authority and the low yielding Tinto Fino, from vines of 30 years of age has lent notes of blackberry, lavender and licorice to the ensemble.
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)

Alión was the first 100 percent Tinto Fino wine aged in 100 percent new oak in Ribera del Duero.. and where the mighty Vega Sicilia lead, others follow……and the style is now very popular in the DO, but, unsurprisingly, seldom equalled. Exuberant fruit and age-worthy restraint go hand in hand; the 2012 is a cornucopia of violets, damson, black olive and toasty oak… less flamboyant than some of its forebears ( 2009 being an example), maybe, but still with plenty of matière and an impressively structured finish.
Simon Field, MW - Wine Buyer