Milk chocolate and hints of toffee underneath the ripe plum fruit and spiced cherries. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm yet very velvety tannins. Silky, caressing Unico. Long and supple, with beautiful balance. Tasted from magnum. Drink or hold.

Unico’s vineyards are located just in front of the winery, on the other side of the N-122, the road that crosses east to west through Ribera del Duero. These vineyards face north, their soils rich in limestone, two factors that help explain the persistent tension of the tannins in this Spanish classic. In this new vintage, the tannins yield notes of Indian spices, layering turmeric and cinnamon over earthy flavors. There are also vibrant flavors of fresh blackberries and red raspberries, but they are mostly hidden for now, needing more time in the cellar, or decanting, to emerge. The texture is elegant, with enough grip to sustain the wine for another decade at least.

The 2006 Único has always been a bit of a mystery to me, as I always felt it transcended the vintage character, and this magnum was not an exception. 2006 was very warm, but the wine remains fresh and has a moderate 14% alcohol. It has some grainy tannins, but it's really very good. 2,552 magnums were filled in June 2012. Artwork by Antoni Tàpies. - Luis Gutiérrez

This vintage's bouquet of raisin, flower and dust aromas is complex, requiring extended airing to fully reveal itself. Earthy berry and raisin flavors finish with prune and berry notes. It's a touch ripe and heavy owing to the fact that 2006 was a hot year; it will benefit from more time in the cellar. Drink through 2035.

From vines averaging 35 years of age across 40 hectares, Único undergoes a minimum 10 year ageing process in both small and large American and French oak barrels, plus time in bottle. After a while in the glass the aromatic profile grows, charming with redcurrants, roses, and fine oak. In the mouth it lives up to its 'Unique' name. The depth of flavour impresses, and so too does the complex layering. Mineral, chalk, red fruit, wood smoke and fresh herbs - there’s so much to discover, and all of these characteristics are building materials for the future, along with the very bright line of freshness. Very promising.

A full-on hedonistic bomb of a wine, the 1991 Unico has just about everything you could want. Kirsch, mulled spices, blackberry liqueur, potpourri and loads of spice give way to a fully mature, full-bodied, elegant red that has good acidity and a seamless texture. It’s ripe, textured, and drinking beautifully today, but its purity of fruit and balance is going to keep it drinking nicely for at least another decade.

Silky and dense, this red delivers focused flavors of currant, licorice, tobacco and mineral, supported by well-integrated tannins and fresh acidity. Not showy, but has depth. Lithe and energetic. Drink now through 2021. — T.M.