Quality control issues failed to dampen interest in Vega Sicilia’s wines in April, with trade in the Spanish winery's latest release buoyant.
The 2004 Vega Sicilia Unico represented more than one-third of all trades beyond France and Italy on the London-based fine wine exchange Liv-ex last month. The Ribera del Duero winery recorded the strong performance despite offering to replace 100,000 bottles of the 2009 Pintia Toro and failing to release the 2010 Alion due to issues with excess sediment earlier in April. The problem is thought to have affected as many as 500,000 bottles and will cost the winery a reported $13 million.
However, the 2004 has been well received with Wine Advocate critic Neal Martin awarding 97 points and notoriously hard marker Jancis Robinson MW giving it a near-perfect 19.5 out of 20.
With such high scores, its $294 price tag per bottle (excluding tax) represents comparatively good value for money. Across all vintages it has an average price of $423.
Interest in Vega Sicilia is on the rise, with Asian buyers showing they are willing to consider fine wines beyond France. In 2013, 83 percent of Vega Sicilia lots achieved prices beyond the high estimate at a Sotheby’s direct-from-the-cellar sale, while a six-bottle case of 1953 fetched $47,115, or $7852.50 per bottle, at a Christie’s sale.
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