Peter Sisseck is on a mission to produce a wine that captures the soul of Ribera del Duero. With his 2018 Pingus PSI, I say he’s accomplished his mission and BRAVO! This is everything you could want in a bottle of Ribera del Duero and more. Rated 94 points by Luis Gutierrez of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, this is one of Spain’s great Tempranillo values.
When you consider the fact that Pingus easily fetches $1,000+ and Flor de Pingus $200+, I think you’ll see the value here. In fact, Sisseck’s 2018 PSI actually equaled the score of his 2018 Flor de Pingus. And we’re offering this one up at one of the best prices in the country. For lovers of Spanish reds, this is a serious no-brainer.
2018 Pingus PSI Ribera del Duero
94 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 95 points James Suckling
To order, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
The Pingus story is a great one. Danish winemaker and Bordeaux-trained Peter Sisseck decided to give it a go in the rough-and-tumble Ribera del Duero in the early 1990’s. In 1995, his debut vintage of Pingus was released. How was it? Good enough for famed wine critic Robert Parker to call it “one of the greatest and most exciting wines I have ever tasted.” Let’s just say Sisseck has skill and work ethic combined with great intuition, all qualities of the world’s greatest winemakers. Today, Pingus is synonymous with mythical greatness. So it’s this same guy who makes this wine.
To attain his goal of producing a wine that is an embodiment of the Ribera del Duero, its vineyards, and its many small growers, Peter makes PSI with purchased grapes from 750 plots and 20 different villages throughout the region. All of the growers he works with on this project are practicing organic and biodynamic farming. PSI is Peter’s “passion project,” and it is his way of giving back to the many dedicated growers of the region who welcomed him with open arms when he arrived in Spain the early 1990’s.
We have stocked a few vintages of this wine, but as Luis Gutierrez of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate says, “this is without a doubt the finest PSI to date.” Part of this jump in quality is due to a new winemaking facility with much better working conditions. The other part is that 2018 was a great, dry, sunny vintage. The blend here is 86% Tinta del Pais (the local name for Tempranillo), 12% Garnacha, and 2% other local varietals, including some white grapes. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts, and most of it is matured in large 5,000 to 10,000 liter oak vats with 20% aged in smaller French barriques for 18 months.
The resulting wine is really, really pretty folks. The Garnacha adds a red fruited freshness rarely encountered in Ribera del Duero. As Gutierrez says, “The palate is medium-bodied, with fine tannins, and it feels terribly balanced and beautifully textured. It’s elegant more than powerful but full of energy.” Showcasing complex notes of red fruits, exotic spices, complex floral nuances, and a finish that just won’t stop, this is a wine that will offer immediate gratification, but it’s got some staying power too. Drink now through 2027.
I am so excited to be the lone retailer in Asheville selling this wine. It’s truly special, and it’s a wine to enjoy with only the best of friends. To fully appreciate it, I recommend a good, hour-long decant and/or a meal of grilled lamb and roasted root vegetables.
To order, stop by the store or click here to order in our online store.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville