2012 Dominio de Pingus, Flor Pingus, Ribera del Duero DO 1x750ml

Robert Parker 93

The 2012 Flor de Pingus is produced with the fruit from 16 plots of vineyards in La Horra (Burgos) which are vinified by plot in small, 4,000-liter stainless steel vats mostly with indigenous yeasts. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in barrels (50% new, 50% second-use) where the wine aged for 16-18 months. It-s again an austere closed red, with a shy nose that needs pulling. What you get is very harmonious and elegant, no exuberance here, but classical proportions, perfectly integrated oak and superb balance. A very worthy version of Flor, a wine that has grown a lot since the initial vintages. 60,000 bottles. Drink 2014-2017. I had a relaxed and superb tasting with Peter Sisseck, where we had time to discuss the wines and Ribera del Duero in general as Sisseck is now part of the Consejo Regulador. It was also a great learning experience as he showed me some experimental wines that resulted in adjustments from the 2012 vintage onward, and a big jump in precision for the wines, with the yet unbottled 2012 Pingus verging on perfection. He explained the range of wines he produces as it follows: PSI is the regional wine, Flor de Pingus is the village, and Pingus is the Cru. PSI is the newer wine in the lineup and the one that might require more explanation. In 2007, a difficult vintage in Ribera del Duero, he lost quite a lot of grapes for Flor de Pingus because of a big hailstorm, so he had to look for grapes he could purchase. He then realized how much Ribera had grown: from 6,000 hectares in 1985 to 9,000 hectares in 1990 and more than 22,000 hectares today! There is a big surplus of grapes, so the grapes from old vineyards are not valued. He decided that he wanted to support the people who were keeping their old vineyards and not ripping them up, or going to younger vines and high yields. He purchased their grapes, paid a fair price and produced PSI with them. Besides tasting extensively and slowly, I retasted 2010 Pingus and I also had the chance to preview the 2013 Pingus (clean, pure, with great acidity, but still too young) plus some experimental cuvees, some of which might see the light in the future. They have never produced better wines at Pingus. Bravo! Importer: The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; www.rarewineco.com [Luis Gutiérrez, 28/08/2014]

Anticipated maturity: 2014-2017

Vinous 93

Vivid ruby. Heady aromas of fresh blackberry, boysenberry and smoky minerals are complicated by pungent hints of vanilla, violet and allspice. Lush, intensely flavored and focused, offering deep dark berry and cherry compote flavors and a suave spicecake nuance. Finishes smooth, sweet and very long, with resonating spiciness, a hint of licorice and fully absorbed tannins. [Josh Raynolds, 09/01/2014]