Flor de Pingus is one of the most well-known and highly regarded wines in all of Spain. The product of Peter Sisseck's relentless pursuit of quality, Flor de Pingus is a modern classic that has impressed critics and consumers alike since its first vintage in 1995.
How is Flor de Pingus produced today?
Flor de Pingus is now again made from grapes from partially leased vineyards near the two plots of land Barrosso & San Cristóbal, which produce Pingus itself. The vines are now younger, but with vines as old as 40-60 years, they are still well-grown vines, whose roots penetrate deep into the soil, contributing a great deal of minerality to the wine. At the same time, the roots are so widely branched that they can draw on winter rainfall so that stress does not arise in the dry summer months.
The wine consists of 100% old Tempranillo from some of the best places in Ribera del Duero. Peter Sisseck is a true master of Spanish wines, and based on his great work he has garnered great international recognition, with Robert Parker from Wine Advocate annually praising both Flor de Pingus and its big brother Dominio de Pingus.
Flor de Pingus is nowhere near as super-concentrated as before, but there is still a nice concentration. The wine has a good portion of plums, violets and wild spicy herbs, which play nicely with the generous warm spices from the barrels, which also characterize the wine. The wine is both powerful and full-bodied, but at the same time carried forward by an underlying fresh, salty minerality, which pleasantly makes the tannins slide into the background.
Flor de Pingus 2018
Flor de Pingus is back in full production in 2018 after the limited 2017 vintage, when Peter Sisseck lost half of his harvest due to ice early on April 28th. Deciding to start the harvest earlier than many others, Peter Sisseck reported that the grapes were beautifully ripe and almost perfect. Peter’s firm decision was to pick the grapes between September 16th and October 8th, which was about a week earlier than average.
Peter Sisseck is experimenting these years with a large batch of whole grapes among the lightly crushed grapes. The wine ferments in 2,000 liter oak barrels, where most of it is left to nature. The 2017 vintage was aged for 14 months in 30% new French barrels and old French barrels, which have previously been used for other Flor de Pingus vintages and then for Dominio de Pingus. The wine was then blended and bottled in June 2020 without prior fining or filtering.
There is no doubt that Peter Sisseck's famous Danish fingerprints have helped create a great wine that the wine world considers to be perhaps the greatest young red wine.
The difference between Flor and Dominio
In many ways, Flor de Pingus is a mirror image of Dominio de Pingus. The differences in quality and style between the two wines are less than the price tag suggests. This is especially true in the early years after release, prompting Robert Parker, his then-husband in Spain, Jay Miller, to say in 2008 that "In the price/quality sweepstakes, this might be Spain's finest wine."
The two wines are made from the same Tempranillo vineyards in Ribera del Duero, but the Flor de Pingus grapes come from younger vines. As a result, the wines share many characteristics, including their intense ruby red color, floral aromas, and concentrated black fruit flavors.
Dominio de Pingus possesses an ultimate intensity, and to that extent possesses Spanish temperament. Both wines benefit immensely from being aged for a minimum of 10-20 years before being enjoyed, so that the tannins can develop and the wine reaches its peak.
Great interest in Peter Sisseck's wines
Interest in Peter Sisseck's wines has reached new heights over the past 10 years. Advance interest reached hysterical proportions this year, with people pre-ordering the wine before it even hit the market.
With Parker giving the 2018 vintage 99 points and calling it "a modern legend in the making," it's no wonder people are scrambling to get their hands on a bottle or two.
The region
The Castilla y León region is located northwest of Madrid and is Spain's most populous region. The weather is continental in nature with large temperature fluctuations during the day and night. The area covers 9 DOs, including some of Spain's most important. Ribera del Duero and Toro are known for their red wine, which they make mainly from Tempranillo. Mencia dominates in Bierzo, and in Rueda they are known for their white wines, where Verdejo, Viura and Sauvignon Blanc are all grown.
District
Ribera del Duero is one of Spain's best wine regions in Castilla y Leon in the north of the country. The vineyards are located on a plateau between 500 and 900 meters above sea level, and the majority of production is red wine. Almost all of it is red wine, with Tempranillo being the main style, followed by small amounts of Albillo and Garnacha. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec are also used to produce small amounts of wine.
