PSI is the third wine of one of Spain's most legendary producers, Dominio de Pingus. Pingus was established in the mid-1990s by Danish winemaker & visionary, Peter Sisseck. Dominio de Pingus was unexpectedly (and joyously!) put on the map in 1996 after the managing director of a UK wine company discovered the wine at the very end of a long and drawn out Bordeaux tasting. He then insisted that a Mr. Robert Parker try the wine. After a 96-100 point rating and receiving the back page of the Wine Advocate, the rest is winemaking history!
Fast Forward 10 years later to the birth of Sisseck's newest project: PSI, named after the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet. This wine was produced with the intention to showcase the old-world vines of the Ribera del Duero, using biodynamic and organic farming practices. Sisseck essentially sought out to give back to the land and the small farmers who hadn't yet benefitted from the success of the Ribera del Duero by keeping the winemaking practices as simple as the early stages of Spanish winemaking allowed, and by keeping the price low so almost anyone could afford to enjoy it.
The idea is to look back to traditional Ribera del Duero wines, what you might call "village wine," an "open friendly style of wine." The idea is to protect the heritage of old vines and the knowledge of those sites." - Peter Sisseck, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The PSI vines, which are located in the far eastern side of Castella y Leon, have a slight advantage over many other vines in Ribera del Duero: not only because the vines are among the oldest, but they also happen to sit about 2500 meters above sea level. The Tempranillo grape varietal often grows its best at higher altitudes.
On first open, the bouquet was incredible. I mean, filled the room incredible! I decanted it for about 2 hours. This wine is big and needs air time, but with the right amount of decanting, it can be enjoyed right now and over the next 5 years. Medium-bodied on the palate with strong, dusty tannins. Notes of spice, herbs, licorice and blueberries all combine with balanced acidity and a 20 second finish. Overall, the wine opened beautifully and didn't lose focus toward the end.
Spain is regarded as one of the best countries to source exceptional wine values. Robert Parker has said of Spain, "this beautiful sun-drenched country is best known as a treasure trove for red wine values." PSI is a perfect illustration of the value that exists when it comes to Spanish wine. From where else can you drink the quality of a $700+ wine for ONLY $37.99? I highly recommend that you take advantage of the amazing value this 93-point wine offers.
This wine will drink perfectly with fall fare (especially with traditional Thanksgiving dishes) and will make a great Christmas gift too. Our allocation was very small, and the overall production is miniscule - so I urge you to set a case aside today!