DOMINIO DE PINGUS, 2020 VINTAGE, EN PRIMEUR by corneyandbarrowltd

DOMINIO DE PINGUS 2020 VINTAGE, EN PRIMEUR

EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND HONG KONG

UTTERLY BORING “Wine is so utterly boring now” PETER SISSECK, JULY 2021

I hope Peter will forgive me for quoting him entirely out of context. He was talking about the big wine personalities of the past versus today’s somewhat more corporate approach. Fortunately, it’s the personalities we seek out. The mavericks, the trailblazers, the off-piste cultivators. Despite Peter’s understandable exasperation, they are an enduring breed – and one to which he firmly belongs. A young northern European setting out to make wine in desolate 1990s Ribera del Duero with a bunch of low yielding bush-vines planted in 1929 – I think we can agree that counts as not-boring. Last year’s 2019 release marked 25 years since the establishment of Dominio de Pingus, which by anyone’s standards has become something of a legend. And as there was no Pingus 2002, this is the 25th vintage. Happy 25th then, Peter. Please continue to brighten up the world of wine for us.

GUY SEDDON August 2021

THE PINGUS FAMILY PINGUS Less than 5 hectares in La Horra, Ribera del Duero. Two plots, separated by 400 metres: San Cristobal, “the backbone of Pingus”, and Barrosso, slightly lighter in style. Both planted in 1929. Pingus’ bush vines are a massal selection of the region’s first generation of post-phylloxera vines, planted on their original riparia rootstock. Biodynamic since 2000, aided by the dry, windswept region’s low disease pressure. Having famously started out with ‘200% new oak’, Pingus has had no new oak since 2012. Peter points to the region’s increasing warmth, calling 2005 “the first of the global warming vintages” and “the vintage that really made me reflect on oak”.

FLOR DE PINGUS An extension of the Pingus approach, which has evolved into a celebrated wine in its own right. From 35 hectares, dotted around the village of La Horra. Unlike Pingus, Peter says 25% new oak helps to round out Flor’s tannins, whilst around 10% Garnacha (Grenache) “really freshens it up.” A proportion is fined with egg whites whilst the rest ages in barrel until June/July. A notable bargain in the world of wine…

PSI …standing for Peter Sisseck, the Greek character Ψ resembling a bush vine. Without PSI, many of these old bush vines would long since have been upgraded to younger models. The low yields here otherwise make no commercial sense. Only by buying grapes well above market rates can Peter persuade the growers to retain them. A lifeline for Ribera del Duero’s bush vines therefore, since starting in 2007. It is now made in a separate facility, with ageing in large wooden vats. Over 600 parcels go into PSI, from over 20 villages. Of the total 150 hectares, the average plot size is a quarter of a hectare!

“Winemaking is a fascinating work of learning forwards and understanding backwards” PETER SISSECK, JUNE 2021

THE 2020 GROWING SEASON “If 2019 was a ‘warmer’ vintage and more generous in style, 2020 really shows Ribera del Duero’s aromatic side and its great finesse.” PETER SISSECK, JULY 2021

Plentiful rain fell in winter and spring – in Peter’s words, “so important for the determination of the style of wine we make”, perhaps therefore marking out 2020 as an elegant, aromatic vintage.

and earlier. After the cooler 2012 and 2013, yields were increased by 10-15%, picking was brought forward and vinification temperatures lowered (now below 25˚C), to retain freshness.

Spring rainfall (almost double the April average) and high temperatures led to an early budbreak. Fortunately, there was no frost, but the moist soils caused a “quite dangerous attack of mildew.” Fighting mildew with biodynamics is tough – compounded, as Peter says, by coming in the middle of a Covid lockdown – but it was repelled.

In a final twist of good fortune, on the last day of harvest, 17th September, “All hell broke loose… That night we had 60mm of rain. 80% of the wineries in the region had not even started their harvest…”

That early threat over, “it was pretty much smooth sailing.” Temperatures peaked at a mean of 23˚C in July, just above average. As harvest drew near, the grapes’ low malic acid persuaded Peter it was possible to pick with just 13.5% potential alcohol. Harvest started on 7th September, the earliest ever. Peter is always cautious about harvesting early – as he says, “These early harvests are against the typicity of Ribera, but are becoming the norm now.” Since the first decade of the century – 2005 and, in earnest, 2009 – Ribera’s growing seasons have become warmer

These rains did however affect a small proportion of the PSI vineyards, in the east of the region, which ripen 2-3 weeks later than La Horra. There was overriding relief though, that the most important part of the crop was safe. Fermentation was smooth, meaning the team could concentrate on extraction. In part, this is achieved by rotating between barrels and oak vats in order to soften the tannins. In the context of the past three vintages, if 2018 was cooler and 2019 warmer and “quite dramatic”, 2020 is somewhere in between. In Peter’s words, the 2020s have “all the stuff I was hoping for – a beautiful balance.”

TASTING NOTES PSI

FLOR DE PINGUS

92% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), 8% Garnacha. From a patchwork of small old-vine parcels throughout Ribera del Duero, over 50 years old on average. Deep ruby colour. Pure raspberry and cranberry fruit aromas, with bitter chocolate. The palate is very bright and fruit-driven, dark cherry and fleshy plum, with gently grippy tannins. This will hit the road running – a trait which, as Peter says, is “something we have tried to achieve since the beginning – this year, we got it!!” 14% abv. Fermented at 23˚C, then aged in large oak vats. Around 350,000 bottles have been made.

90% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo), 10% Garnacha. From 35 hectares around the village of La Horra. Bright ruby colour. Very fresh strawberry and red cherry aromas, with a trace of violets. The palate is streamlined and lithe on the entry, succulent cherry and dark spices emerging on the mid-palate, accompanied by chalky tannins. Textural and fine, this is more elegant than the powerful Flors of a decade ago yet remains, in Peter’s words, “juicy and sexy” (adding, for good measure, “I really love it…”) 25% new oak. 110,000 bottles produced.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2022 – 2028 £215/Case of 12 bottles, in bond UK £115/Case of 3 magnums, in bond UK

Corney & Barrow Score 18+ Recommended drinking from 2025 – 2035 £595/Case of 12 bottles, in bond UK £315/Case of 3 magnums, in bond UK

Last year’s ‘barrel’ of PSI went down well, so we are doing it again. This is a fantastic way to ensure you (+ friends/ family) never run out of PSI… Our barrel is equivalent to 25 twelve bottle cases, or mix bottles and magnums.

£4,395/‘barrel’, in bond UK

PINGUS Tasting Guide Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score. Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.

100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). From just over four hectares of bush vines, planted in 1929, in La Horra. Deep, inky, glass staining ruby. Aromas of violet, roses, milk chocolate and liquorice. The palate is nervy and insinuating on the entry, resonant energy building in the mouth. Airy, refined, billowing... A wine of aromatics and crystalline red berry fruit, totally present and yet barely there, ethereal. Part of Pingus 2020 is being aged in wooden vats, including a large 2,000 litre one, “to slow down the ageing process”, in Peter Sisseck’s words. The rest is maturing in old, 12 month seasoned oak barrels. 7,500 bottles produced. Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2028 – 2040 £1,625/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £1,105/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK £2,220/Case of 1 double magnum, in bond UK Pingus, as usual, will be allocated on the basis of support of Peter’s wines – please may we have your order by Wednesday 18th August.

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