One of my personal favorite red wines

Peter Sisseck, the owner/winemaker at Pingus in Ribera del Duero, Spain, is unquestionably one of Spain's (and the world's) most acclaimed winemakers. His "Grand Vin", Pingus "Pingus" has received five 100 point ratings from The Wine Advocate since the inaugural vintage in 1995. His PSI bottling (named for the picture of an old Tempranillo wine on the label which resembles the Greek letter Psi), is made from coop fruit rather than estate fruit resulting in a much more affordable wine (the 2018 Pingus Pingus is $1,399.99 per bottle - and by the way, we have some for sale).

The 2018 Pingus PSI is an absolutely stunning wine at only $31.99. It actually reminds me of a hypothetical Barolo made from Tempranillo rather than Nebbiolo and it is certainly far superior to any Barolo which would sell for $31.99!

Luis Guttierez, who writes about Spanish wines for The Wine Advocate, agrees with me, rating it 94 points: "This wine is produced with purchased grapes from 200 hectares in around 750 plots and 20 different villages throughout Ribera del Duero (they now rent and work 50 hectares of these vineyards themselves). In 2018, they were able to use some 12% Garnacha and 2% other grapes, including whites that are found intermixed with the Tinta del País/Tempranillo in the old vineyards. Garnacha adds freshness, and the wine shows it—the character of the grape comes through in the blend. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured mostly in 5,000-liter and 10,000-liter oak vats, but 20% of the volume aged in used French barriques for 18 months. The color is quite light (relatively speaking), bright and lively, the nose perfumed, floral and elegant, like no PSI before. 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. This is without a doubt the finest PSI to date. Viva Garnacha! 94 points."

Here is a recipe for the perfect dish to serve with it: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-leg-lamb-garlic-and-rosemary


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