Vega Sicilia, founded in 1864 by Don Eloy Lecanda y Chaves in Ribera del Duero, is Spain’s most prestigious wine estate. Known for low yields and meticulous harvesting, it gained fame when its 1917 and 1918 vintages won prizes at the 1929 World’s Fair in Barcelona. The estate became a symbol of refinement among the Spanish elite. In 1982, the Alvarez family took over, combining modern business practices with respect for tradition, helping cement Vega Sicilia’s global reputation in the 1980s and early 1990s.