A very special opportunity to taste the wines of Vega Sicilia

Vega Sicilia is one of the greatest wine producers in the world and their wines are not easily accessible. When I was in Ribera del Duero a few years ago, I visited a handful of wineries but Vega Sicilia was not one of them. It has remained an elusive wine to me until I recently had dinner with Pablo Alvarez, owner of Vega Sicilia, which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and share here. There are a lot of very good wines as well as a lot of great wines available to us. But there are some wines that have reached a pinnacle where they are enjoyed only by a small few who can afford them. Just saying their names results in a level of revelry. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Chateau Margaux. Chateau Lafite. Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. Penfolds. Vega Sicilia. Vega Sicilia is considered the greatest wine producer in Spain and is recognized as one of most valued red wines in the world. While the wines are not impossible to find and purchase, they are also not readily available nor easily affordable. Located in Ribera del Duero in the north of Spain, visits to the winery are available only by appointment and you need a letter from the distributor or importer to get one of these coveted appointments. I recall traveling through Ribera del Duero a few years ago with the representatives from the region and they could not take me there for a visit. So, when I was recently invited to dinner in Los Angeles with Pablo Alvarez, owner of Vega Sicilia, I could not refuse.