Dominio De Pingus, Flor de Pingus 2004

robert_parker97

Reviewed by: Jay S Miller

In the wonderful 2004 vintage, owner/winemaker Peter Sisseck has outdone himself. If I were just starting to build a wine collection and had limited income, I can think of no better foundation than a dozen bottles of 2004 Flor de Pingus. In the context of the world’s great wines, it is a stupendous value, a steal. It is 100% Tempranillo from very low yields and is aged 14 months in 100% new French barriques. Opaque purple in color, it emits already complex aromas of smoke, toast, coffee, blueberry, blackberry, and licorice. Lush on the palate, super ripe and sweet, as well as multi-dimensional, this great effort can be drunk now, but I’d opt for cellaring it for 6-8 years to allow further evolution. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

robert_parker98

Reviewed by: Jay S Miller

The sublime 2004 Flor de Pingus lacks the pure size and power of the 2005 but more than makes up for it with a regal elegance. The aromatics are already revealing considerable complexity while on the palate it is succulent, impeccably balanced, and mouth-coating. Give it another 5-6 years of bottle age and drink it from 2015 to 2034. Dominio de Pingus is located in the La Horra region of Ribera del Duero. Owner/winemaker, Peter Sisseck, an oenologist originally from Denmark, started the estate in 1995. There are currently 3 wines produced, Flor de Pingus, a single barrel cuvee called Amelia which began in 2003, and the flagship Pingus. In a normal vintage there are usually about 4000 cases of Flor de Pingus, 500 cases of Pingus, and 25 cases of Amelia. Flor de Pingus is sourced from a number of small parcels located in the La Horra zone. The vines are all over 35 years of age and have been farmed biodynamically since 2005.They are either owned or rented by Peter Sisseck, so Flor de Pingus always comes from the same pieces of ground. In that sense it is not a second wine but there is no question that is a very close approximation of Pingus at a fraction of the price. That makes it a relative bargain in the scheme of things. The wine is 100% Tempranillo typically aged for 14 months in new French barriques. The first vintage of Pingus was in 1995. The estate has been biodynamically farmed since 2000 and, according to Sisseck, has never been treated with fertilizer or pesticides. The Pingus vines are all at least 65 years of age and yields are typically under 1 ton per acre. The wines, made from 100% Tempranillo, are bottled without fining or filtration. Importer: Manny Berk, Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA