In the 1980s, the Álvarez family of Vega Sicilia sought to produce a wine that took advantage of most modern winemaking techniques, just like the great Châteaux of Bordeaux. First produced in 1991, that wine, and later winery, became Alión. Unlike Unico and Valbuena, Alión is a pure expression of Tempranillo, sourced from over 70 estate hectares that reflect the diverse terroir of Ribera del Duero, from its pockets of broken quartz to its smooth white and red stones to its iconic, deep draining gravels. A drier vintage than normal, the 2019 has an immeasurable concentration on the palate, but with the maturity of the older vines (average age 39 years), Alión continues to prove that freshness, and elegance, can live within power. ~AA