Vega Sicilia Alion Tinto Ribera del Duero 2022
(Castilla Leon, Spain) - [WS 95] [WA 95] [JS 93]
(Copy)

About the Winery:
Alion was launched with the 1991 vintage by the famous Vega Sicilia estate. Inspired by the "modern classic" style of top Bordeaux, owner Pablo Alvarez wished to adapt this style of wine to the unique climate and soils in the western Ribera del Duero.

About this Wine:
Around half the grapes come from Vega Sicilia vineyards, the other half from Alion's own vineyards near Penafiel. The wine is made by Javier Ausas, head winemaker of Vega Sicilia, at Alion's dedicated, state-of-the-art winery. Alion is certainly a modern wine, an opulent and seductive 100% Tempranillo aged for 14 months in new French oak barrels, but - as one would expect from Vega Sicilia - there is nothing over-the-top about the wine. Not overripe, over-extracted or over-oaked, it is all about elegance, harmony, class...and sheer hedonistic pleasure.

The 2022 vintage was a real challenge, shaped by unpredictable weather. Areas that were traditionally harvested last ended up being picked first—and vice versa. We had to be more present than ever in the vineyard, waiting for that perfect al dente moment to pick the fruit. Our obsession was to capture freshness in the grapes and extract gently during fermentation. Throughout the ageing process, we took a cautious approach with oak, relying on larger formats such as foudres and incorporating different materials like concrete to help tame a vintage marked by power and sunshine. It was a challenging year, requiring constant attention and hard work —efforts that shine through in a 2022 Alión with a juicier, more succulent expression

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME - 14.5%

GRAPE VARIETY - 100% Tinto Fino

AGEING - 12 months in barrels, concrete and foudres, and 18 months of ageing in bottle.

AVERAGE AGE OF THE VINEYARD - 40 years.

Ratings and Reviews

95 Points - Wine Spectator:
"This is alluring, with a core of warmed black cherry and plum sauce flavors laced with fragrant accents of cinnamon, violet, licorice, dried mint and bay leaf. There’s a suave feel to this red, which effortlessly enmeshes a firm core of fine-grained tannins with a plush texture and fresh focus. Expands beautifully on the palate, revealing additional details of espresso, smoked paprika and mineral that linger on the finish. Drink now through 2040." - Alison Napjus  (Jun 2026)

95 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The Alión vintage released in 2026 is the 2022 Alión, a year they consider a challenge, a warm and dry year when ripeness didn't follow the usual pattern: late vineyards ripened earlier and early vineyards took longer this year. Their obsession was to keep the freshness in the wine, and they did a softer vinification and a more careful use of oak, using larger volumes and other materials like concrete to tame a powerful and solar vintage. The nose is serious and even has some austerity. The wine is obviously juicier and rounder, with 14.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.89 and 4.58 grams of acidity, but has very good overall balance. The tannins are round, polished and slightly dustier than other vintages, the wine has a tender mouthfeel. A total of 270,870 bottles, 7,040 magnums and some larger formats were produced. It was bottled in May 2024." - Luis Gutierrez (Jan 2026)

93 Points - James Suckling:
"A structured and chewy wine from this challenging hot, dry year. On the nose it is profound and floral at the same time, with graphite, blackberries and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and tightly wound. Give it two or three more years. Drink from 2027." (Jul 2025)