Dominio de Pingus Ribera del Duero PSI 2019 750ml Case of 12

Blackberry and black-cherry aromas with lavender, cedar and hints of cloves and white pepper, following through to a medium body with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful, creamy finish. A little tight and reserved now. Another impressive PSI. Give it until 2022.

The 2019 PSI combines their knowledge of the vineyards and their new winery. They learned a lot in 2018, a more heterogeneous vintage, and their sorting machine for grapes had to work a lot. 2019 was more homogeneous, an easier harvest when most people made better wine. In the winery, they invested in a simple building but top technology. They used some 10% Garnacha in the blend, which was done one year after aging the lots separately. It really reminds me of the young wines from Ribera del Duero from the early 1990s, with some aromas of orange peel, earthy and smoky (very mild) and with fine-grained tannins. It has good ripeness at 14% alcohol and integrated acidity but great balance. It showcases the style of the 2019s here, fresher than expected and still a sunny vintage, when 2018 was more crystalline. A triumph over the natural conditions of the year. They finally bottled the expected 345,000 bottles. It was bottled in July 2021.

A fresh and elegant red, with fragrant notes of spicy mineral, crushed pine and pink peppercorn acting as a springboard for a pure beam of ripe raspberry fruit and hints of fig cake, toast and orange peel. Shows good focus and length, but is light on its feet and bright on the palate. Fine, lightly chalky tannins firm the finish. Tempranillo and Garnacha. Drink now through 2029. 12,500 cases made.