I cannot afford the top line of Pingus wines, but the Flor de Pingus, Peter Sisseck’s almost equally famous second label wines from Ribera del Duero, are within reach.

Pingus is slang for Peter – the Danish owner and winemaker of this Spanish benchmark estate. Now that the world is reopening, I can’t wait to take a trip there some time in the next few years.

This wine is a deep, inky purple with some garnet tinge (we opened it at 8 years).  It’s beautifully aromatic with explosive field berry, blackberry, incense, and a rocky minerality.  The dry palate has superb acidity with flavours of cassis, tar, asphalt, meat, some serious dark chocolate, and leather strap.

Complex and plush with gentle tannins, and a long finish, there is so much going on in the glass.  Everything about it is integrated and balanced.  We likely opened this far too soon.  If you happen to be holding, keep doing so.  It has fabulous ageing potential.