The Wines of Vega Sicilia, Always the Pursuit of Perfection
July 19, 2025
July 19, 2025
Tempos Vega Sicilia, renowned throughout the world for their stunning Tempranillo-dominant red wines, is not content to rest on their laurels. Although considered the crown jewel of Spanish wine, the team at Vega Sicilia is constantly moving the brand forward to new heights, teasing out the uniquely vivid expressions among the many different wines. It’s a smooth evolution, improving farming and winemaking techniques, while expanding the brand among different vineyard sites, their mission is clear, to make excellent wines that portray the essence of Spain and beyond.
Pablo Álvarez, CEO of Vega Sicilia, March 2022
Gonzalo Iturriaga, Technical Director and Winemaker for Vega Sicilia
For Pablo Álvarez, the CEO and owner of Vega Sicilia, the pursuit of perfection today and in the future is so very important, it’s what defines success for the label. Pablo’s father, David, purchased this legendary estate over 40 years ago, and Pablo took control in 1990, with an exacting mission, to broaden their production of quality wine that is always held to the highest standard. For the past 10 years, his partner in this mission is Gonzalo Iturriaga, Technical Director and Winemaker for Vega Sicilia. Iturriaga’s roots run deep in Spain, he studied in Madrid, trained in Montpellier, France, and returned to Ribera del Duero to start his career, channeling his love of Spanish wine.
Gonzalo Iturriaga shared Vega Sicilia's wines and story
Recently, Iturriaga visited Los Angeles, and over a winemaker luncheon at the Terrace Restaurant in The Langham Huntington Resort, several wine writers had the chance to taste through the many fine wines of Vega Sicilia. I interviewed Iturriaga about his time with the winery, and what he’s working on now.
What brought you to Vega Sicilia and what changes have you seen since you’ve been there?
“I was pretty lucky, because Pablo knocked on my door, and makes me an offer that I could not refuse. That’s how everything started. He was looking for someone who had studied in France, but he was looking for a guy who could understand the philosophy of the house, and can also be very respectful with the history, and keep building the dream.”
As far as changes during his decade with Vega Sicilia, Iturriaga noted, “It’s true we are always in an evolution but it’s also true that you have to have a lot of respect for this style and this brand, so the change has been going on slowly. We have been reducing the impact of the wood, making the wines more elegant, but it has been in a super smooth way, reducing the number of barrels we use, and increasing the capacity of aging in big wooden vats.”
“I was pretty lucky, because Pablo knocked on my door, and makes me an offer that I could not refuse. That’s how everything started. He was looking for someone who had studied in France, but he was looking for a guy who could understand the philosophy of the house, and can also be very respectful with the history, and keep building the dream.”
As far as changes during his decade with Vega Sicilia, Iturriaga noted, “It’s true we are always in an evolution but it’s also true that you have to have a lot of respect for this style and this brand, so the change has been going on slowly. We have been reducing the impact of the wood, making the wines more elegant, but it has been in a super smooth way, reducing the number of barrels we use, and increasing the capacity of aging in big wooden vats.”
Vega Sicilia Vineyards, Courtesy of Vega Sicilia
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Pintia Vineyards, Courtesy of Vega Sicilia
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Álion Vineyards, Courtesy of Vega Sicilia
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Macán La Rioja Vineyards, Courtesy of Vega Sicilia
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And as any good winemaker will say, that wine is made in the vineyard, Iturriaga reiterated that mantra, “I always love to say that, ‘Great terroirs are the only winemakers’, and I really am lucky because I work in one of the most iconic terroirs, I think the terroir is over me, and the next winemaker, Vega Sicilia is going to stay there forever.
Does you have a favorite Vega Sicilia wine?
Iturriaga pointed to Pintia, referring to it as “my little darling”. The reason? He recalled, “Because when I arrived at the winery in 2015, Pablo asked me to make it more elegant. And I think, my team and me, we were quite successful, and it was a wine that, at that moment, was not really friendly, but now, much more friendly and more elegant. I think this wine gives me a lot of credibility.”
And sometimes, you love something more because it can be more of a challenge. Pintia comes from the Toro region, a hotter area that yields more powerful, structured wines from the local Tempranillo known as Tinto de Toro. Iturriaga mused, “It is a unique region, because it’s the only region that is 60% old vines on its own rootstock. That makes it really unique, and that is due to the soil. It’s a place where you can grow wine of character, but you have to be careful.” Iturriaga noted, “I think when we started, the wines were super big, but my predecessor and me, we’ve been refining the wine. I think the secret for Pintia is when you harvest, I always say you have to harvest ‘al dente’, when you feel the crunchiness in the skins and it’s fresh, you have to hurry. Don’t think you’re early, just harvest, at the peak of freshness, to have afterwards, balance.”
Iturriaga also uses winemaking techniques to bring out the very best in Pintia, “It’s very important how you manage the aging, for me, it’s a wine you need to work with, a little bit of wood, but we also work with amphora, with granite eggs. You always have to have a balance between barrels and big vessels. I think it’s a style of wine that is really appreciated, not only in Spain, but all over the world.”
Iturriaga pointed to Pintia, referring to it as “my little darling”. The reason? He recalled, “Because when I arrived at the winery in 2015, Pablo asked me to make it more elegant. And I think, my team and me, we were quite successful, and it was a wine that, at that moment, was not really friendly, but now, much more friendly and more elegant. I think this wine gives me a lot of credibility.”
And sometimes, you love something more because it can be more of a challenge. Pintia comes from the Toro region, a hotter area that yields more powerful, structured wines from the local Tempranillo known as Tinto de Toro. Iturriaga mused, “It is a unique region, because it’s the only region that is 60% old vines on its own rootstock. That makes it really unique, and that is due to the soil. It’s a place where you can grow wine of character, but you have to be careful.” Iturriaga noted, “I think when we started, the wines were super big, but my predecessor and me, we’ve been refining the wine. I think the secret for Pintia is when you harvest, I always say you have to harvest ‘al dente’, when you feel the crunchiness in the skins and it’s fresh, you have to hurry. Don’t think you’re early, just harvest, at the peak of freshness, to have afterwards, balance.”
Iturriaga also uses winemaking techniques to bring out the very best in Pintia, “It’s very important how you manage the aging, for me, it’s a wine you need to work with, a little bit of wood, but we also work with amphora, with granite eggs. You always have to have a balance between barrels and big vessels. I think it’s a style of wine that is really appreciated, not only in Spain, but all over the world.”
Vega Sicilia is known for quality and consistency, so as the Technical Director of Winemaking, how do you keep that year after year?
“I think the most important thing is having to check with Pablo (the CEO). The first big decision he asks us, do all the wines have the quality at harvest time. If not, we throw away. To be able to produce more than you need, it makes your life easier to be more consistent. And don’t forget the quality. Quality, quality, quality, that’s the only way we know. To think where we can improve the quality, to be very close to the wines, and to have a great team around you. When you have a great team around you, the mistakes are going to be much less, than if you do it on your own. I’m very lucky, I have a mini-me, but also many people on my team that I trust. I think building the wine as a team makes you more consistent."
“I think the most important thing is having to check with Pablo (the CEO). The first big decision he asks us, do all the wines have the quality at harvest time. If not, we throw away. To be able to produce more than you need, it makes your life easier to be more consistent. And don’t forget the quality. Quality, quality, quality, that’s the only way we know. To think where we can improve the quality, to be very close to the wines, and to have a great team around you. When you have a great team around you, the mistakes are going to be much less, than if you do it on your own. I’m very lucky, I have a mini-me, but also many people on my team that I trust. I think building the wine as a team makes you more consistent."
Tempranillo cluster, Courtesy of Vega Sicilia
Over lunch, the group tasted seven wines, guided by Iturriaga. Fascinatingly, there are 115 different clones of Tempranillo in Spain, referred to by many names, according to locale. Vega Sicilia uses a Massal selection of these clones, taking cuttings from many, carefully selected older vines, to preserve genetic diversity and keep the vineyard’s unique identity. Iturriaga loves to work in an organic way with the vineyards, and proud to say the soil studies have showed they are very alive. Biodiversity helps with that, and Vega Sicilia even grows their own cork trees as a quality control measure, to avoid faulty corks. Yet, even with all this attention to detail, he feels fortunate to work for Pablo Álvarez, whom he says is “very important” to the brand’s success, because of his pursuit of perfection and the long view, thinking 40-60 years ahead.
And that future goal, producing Albariño from Rías Baixas, is closer than ever. After purchasing vineyards in 2018, and designing the winery in 2020, lots of decisions were made, the plan is to make terroir-driven, single vineyard cuvées that will be aged. With the first harvest in 2024, and the release slated for 2027, this is a big new direction for a winery that excels in red wine.
First course and wine, the Oremus Mandolás 2020 (SRP $44), a dry Furmint wine from their Hungarian project, was fresh and floral, with intoxicating aromas of citrus, apple, a hint of tropical fruit, spice and herbs. It is savory with vibrant acidity, a mineral backbone, and a saline character that unfurled on the long finish. Served alongside the Hamachi Crudo appetizer, the pairing was out of this world.
For the second and dessert courses, we tasted our way through the rest of these magnificent Spanish beauties. Of course, both were perfect pairings, a rare Steak Frites (my preference) and a delicious Fruit Tart.
The Macán and Macán Clásico 2018 are both 100% Tempranillo from Rioja, fresh yet powerful wines with notes of dark fruit and sweet spice, a mineral core surrounded by a firm structure. The difference is the aging window, Clásico is aged for a shorter period, 2-1/2 years before release, to highlight its fresh and fruity profile, Macán aged for over 3 years. According to Iturriaga, 2018 was an inflection point for the style of the wine, making it more “interpretative, a niche wine”, from the high elevation of La Rioja, which needs more time to develop.
The Alión 2020, 100% Tinto Fino (the local name for Tempranillo), is a bigger, riper style of wine, yet complex in its profile. According to Iturriaga, Tempranillo expresses itself completely different in the many regions of Spain, “The secret of Alión is that we harvest, village by village, and then integrate at the end.” This wine requires different sensibilities, using concrete and granite for a portion of the aging, alongside oak barrels. “Granite opens the wine, more salinity, and is better for bigger, riper wines, it makes them more ethereal, through transpiration.”
The Pintia 2019, 100% Tinta de Toro (another local Tempranillo name), is truly a labor of love, according to Iturriaga, “harvest labor is difficult”. The wine tends to be powerful and concentrated, but Iturriaga has changed his approach, to making a more elegant and fresh wine, the harvesting is “al dente”.
The Valbuena 5° 2019, 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Merlot, is considered the purest red wine expression at Vega Sicilia, its name comes from the five years of aging in oak and bottle. According to Iturriaga, it is lively and profound, a fascinating study of succulent and muscular, taut and delicate, and is Pablo’s personal favorite, referred to as “The Expression of Time”. Valbuena is also one of Iturriaga's favorite wines, “I think it is wonderful, the elegance and the quality, I think you can feel our terroir much sooner, you can feel the power but also the elegance.”
The Unico 2013, Vega Sicilia’s flagship wine, is 97% Tinto Fino and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Always known for its depth, texture and nuance in any vintage, its exhilarating fragrance, generous body, complex energy and endless finish, makes it an aristocrat among wines, aged for at least 10 years before release. It truly earns its nickname, a “Myth Full of Truth”.
Gonzalo Iturriaga of Vega Sicilia
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Gonzalo Iturriaga is dedicated to carrying the Vega Sicilia torch into the future, with his uncompromising quality, teamwork and continuous learning ethos, producing wines that express a moment and place in time, and offer pure drinking pleasure for all of us wine lovers.
*** To learn more about the vineyards and Vega Sicilia’s history, see my previous article “Vega Sicilia Celebrates 40 Years of Winemaking Excellence”, https://www.winealongthe101.com/vega-sicilia-celebrates-40-years-of-winemaking-excellence.html
Tempos Vega Sicilia, https://www.temposvegasicilia.com/en/
*** To learn more about the vineyards and Vega Sicilia’s history, see my previous article “Vega Sicilia Celebrates 40 Years of Winemaking Excellence”, https://www.winealongthe101.com/vega-sicilia-celebrates-40-years-of-winemaking-excellence.html
Tempos Vega Sicilia, https://www.temposvegasicilia.com/en/
To hear Gonzalo Iturriaga's passion for Vega Sicilia, in his own words, a few highlights: