News-Antique.com - Aug 20,2009 - New York, New York – On November 14 in New York, Aulden Cellars-Sotheby’s will sell a collection of wines direct from the legendary Spanish winemaker Bodegas Vega Sicilia owned by the Alvarez family. Following upon the tremendous success of Sotheby’s June 2009 sale in London featuring wines direct from the Cellars of Château Cheval Blanc, Sotheby’s once again brings collectors an unprecedented opportunity to acquire wines directly from one of the world’s greatest and most revered wineries. The sale will comprise 214 lots estimated at more than $350,000*, with highlights including 436 bottles of the vineyard’s signature wine Vega Sicilia Único from 1921 to 1999 and five vertical selections, including a vertical collection of 41 bottles from 1921-1999, all signed by the winery’s general director Pablo Alvarez (est. $15/25,000). Another highlight is the magnum collection of David Alvarez, which comprises a complete vertical of magnum #1 for each vintage of Vega Sicilia Único from 1960 to 1995, with the exception of 1968, which David enjoyed in celebration of his 80th birthday (magnum #1482 will be included from the 1968 vintage) (est. $12/20,000). Sotheby’s sale will include not only wines from Bodegas Vega Sicilia, but also all of the wines from Grupo Vega Sicilia, which is led by Pablo Alvarez and includes Bodegas Alión, Bodegas Pintia, both in Spain, and Tokaj Oremus in Hungary.
Serena Sutcliffe, MW, International Head of Wine at Sotheby’s, said, “This is one of the most exciting direct-from-the-property sales we have ever offered. Vega Sicilia is one of the world’s most coveted wines and the only wine that literally created its area denomination. The Alvarez family look after this magnificent property with tremendous zeal, conscious that this is part of Spain’s viticultural patrimony, while the state-of-the-art winery is breathtaking in design and concept. Vertical tastings of Vega Sicilia form some of the most extraordinary experiences of my life, with vocabulary-defying aromas and tastes emerging after decades in bottle. There is an element of mystery in Vega – how does it achieve its stupendous complexity? The extreme climate of the Ribera del Duero can fix flavour in a very intense way and, when this is combined with the devoted care of Vega’s owners, the result is show-stopping. This is the ‘unique’ vinous library you cannot miss.
Pablo Alvarez, General Director of Grupo Vega Sicilia, commented, “As owner of Vega Sicilia, Alion, Pintia and Oremus,it is an honor for my family to share a remarkable auction of our wines with Sotheby’s, offering vintages from our cellars covering much of the last century in a special, once-in-lifetime occasion. My family started in the wine business in 1982 when we bought Vega Sicilia. Without any doubt, influenced by the prestige of the winery, the working philosophy was, and still is, the devotion to quality. We believe in quality above all, above trends, above uniformity. All four of the owners of Vega Sicilia since is founding in 1864 have shared this philosophy – this reverence for quality and respect for the wines
