From troublesome teenager to fully grown
Macán 2020
Early October, hopefully you already picked up the Macán Clásico 2021. If not, do so now: it’s the best to date. As mentioned then: we recently tasted the 2015 blind and it was simply phenomenal!
And I must admit: the same goes for the estate’s flagship, “Macán”.
We’ve just received the Macán 2020. Let me be upfront: I’ve got every vintage in my own cellar, but it was never truly “my” wine. I always hoped that, with time, this aristocrat would age beautifully. Time will tell.
It remains our most “noble” wine — the offspring of the marriage between the Rothschild family and Vega Sicilia.
You can’t get more noble than that!
In my view, recent years felt like the wine’s “teenage phase”.
Tasting the 2020, I didn’t feel that at all.
On the contrary: this is truly great wine, not only with clear ageing potential (undoubtedly!) but already, right from the start!
For once I didn’t have to politely nod my approval. No — I found myself smiling and nodding immediately.
This teenager had finally grown up 😊.
This top project by two great wine families started with the 2009 vintage. Elite vineyards in Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta, around San Vicente de la Sonsierra and Samaniego, were acquired through our good friend Fernando Remírez de Ganuza.
He ensured the families could purchase old vines without everyone knowing who the buyers were — essential to keep prices from spiralling.
The aim has always been to craft a Rioja true to its terroir, with the
precision and perfection for which
Vega Sicilia is renowned.
At first, production was tiny; now, at cruising speed, it reaches nearly 100,000 bottles of Macán and over 200,000 of Macán Clásico. A true tour de force to achieve such quality at these volumes. If any estate can do it, it’s Vega Sicilia.
And 2025 is clearly the year of truth: a Macán Clásico 2021 better than ever and a Macán 2020 that has finally come of age.
This aristocratic young gentleman definitely deserves a place in your cellar. Ideally, right between your
Remírez de Ganuza on one side and your
Valbuena or
Unico on the other 😉!