The Alión story began in 1986, when the Álvarez family decided to create a winery which, with its own vineyards, was to produce a wine with a philosophy and an identity different and independent from that of Bodegas Vega Sicilia. Thus, the possibility of making the wine in the Vega Sicilia installations was discarded. Álvarez did not wish to create a brand that might be considered as a second wine from the mythical name.

Before acquiring the installations., the family bought land in order to ensure its own vineyards. In 1987, they acquired 25 hectares of vines in the locality of Padilla de Duero (Peñafiel), 18 hectares of which were planted, at the beginning of 1988, with the tempranillo variety. Primarily, the intention was to have 100 hectares of vineyards, but the impossibility of acquiring land in optimum condition forced a change of opinion and the decision was taken to extend the vine-growing land area of Vega Sicilia for it to provide grapes to the new winery. It was then decided to choose a company which, without being well-known, had proper winemaking facilities and installations Bodegas Liceo, a company founded in 1990 and located in Peñafiel (Valladolid), had all the technological requirements sought by Vega Sicilia. After lengthy conversations, the Álvarez family acquired the winery in November 1992.

In fact, Alion was born before it had a place to rest. Foreseeing the imminent creation of the winery, 32,400 bottles of the 1991 harvest were produced in Bodegas Vega Sicilia, and presented four years later. A small quantity which was, however, sufficient to firmly demonstrate the solid nature of the wine which, with this first year, earned a place in the Top 100 list (the one hundred best wines of the year) of the influential North American magazine, Wine Spectator.triarch.

Alion was born next to the River Duero, in the vein of Vega Sicilia, but with the vocation that it is independent and innovative. From the beginning it’s boasted aromas and tastes of a wine that was open, modern, attractive and full of strength and exuberance, with the exclusive expression of the Tinto Fino variety, a concept that was very different from the tradition of Vega Sicilia. Aging takes place exclusively in new French wood and, what is more the process resorts to the most up to date oenological practises, giving a result that is radically different.

The soils of Alion are based on deposits given by the Duero River through thousands of years, creating medium and low layers. Well drained soils, are deep and consist of quartz gravel. It is described as franco and franco-sandy, allows a good reserve of water that helps the nutrition of the plant.

Alion is a solid wine and is a great example of what Tinto-fino ripened properly and worked intelligently can produce. Its colour is concentrated, dark, with a luminous and seductive edge, typical of its youth. The nose is intense, berry, roast notes derived from the wood. On the palate, the sweetened tannins of the concentrated black fruits blend with the dry, creamy, tannins of the French oak. It is full of flavour, strong, fleshy and unfolds a truly suggestive range of tastes