Pingus Ribera del Duero 2021

100 points/'Podium Award,' Peñín Guide to Spanish Wine: "(tinto fino). Exuberant, full of life. Colour bright cherry. Nose: complex, expressive, spicy, mineral, red berry notes, ripe fruit, creamy oak. Palate: elegant, full-bodied, long, great length, round, soft tannins... Pingus is the most exclusive and coveted wine in Ribera del Duero... Pingus 2021 is a multi-layered wine, in Peter Sisseck's words: 'it is the most balanced wine since the start of the winemaking process in the last 5 years'. The first attack is subtle and surprisingly fruity, making us enjoy the pure aromas of a fine red wine with all its varietal traits. Of course, it does not stop there, the fruit gives way to a fine encounter with its ageing, which is always done in used barrels and casks of different sizes so that the subtle notes of wood are perfectly blended. Such is its finesse that you must be attentive to find them, because everything about it is refinement and elegance. The soil is appreciated through mineral nuances that are noticeably chalky. What is more, the wine combines a kind of mineral subtelty with the strength and liveliness of the soil, as if it were an exhibition of Ribera del Duero wine in its broadest sense. The palate is where one understands the significance of this wine, from the silky texture to the fine but present tannin. Those who have the opportunity and the possibility to taste it will realise the overwhelming presence it possesses. It is a fine mural of the Ribera landscape drawn by a sensitive perfectionist. The best 'young' red wine of our country. (2024)"

100 points James Suckling: "Violets, flint, graphite, dark chocolate, ink pot, and hints of herbs such as tarragon. Black truffles. Tar and hints of sandalwood. Black tea. Medium-bodied with very linear tannins that are tight and polished with fine silky texture. It’s endless and seamless. Profound and deep. Super structure and balance. This needs six or eight years of bottle age at least. Try after 2032. (11/15/23)"

98-100 points Luis Gutiérrez (Wine Advocate): "The 2021 Pingus shows great elegance and is subtle, austere and nuanced. The old vines planted in 1929 have very deep roots, and those vines cushion the effect of the vintage (which is more noticeable in the Flor de Pingus, for example). It's harmonious, precise, clean and pure, with very integrated oak. The tannins are amazing and super fine, which gives the wine a velvety mouthfeel. There should be around 8,200 bottles; and the expectation today is to bottle it around May/June 2023, but things can still happen... Drink: 2024-2040. (1/31/23)"

98 points Tim Atkin, MW: "(14.5%). The latest in a series of brilliant releases from Peter Sisseck, this world-famous wine uses grapes from two old-vine plots in La Horra - Barroso (three hectares) and San Cristóbal (one hectare) - located between 800 and 837 metres. Engagingly elegant and refined, this has plenty of underlying concentration, ethereal aromas of violet and aromatic spices, palate-coating texture, plum and black cherry fruit and a chalky freshness on the finish. 2026-40. (2023)"