Nobody would have thought that a Dane would one day shake up the Spanish wine world, write Spanish wine history and produce one of the world's greatest cult wines with one of his wines. But Peter Sissek, born in Copenhagen in 1962, has managed to do just that: his Dominio de Pingus is both a cult and a legend, and the fact that he has also brought one of the most sought-after, highly rated and, of course, most expensive wines in the world onto the market should only be noted in passing. He gained the tools for this triumphant success during his studies at the University of Bordeaux and internships in France and California, before falling in love with the Ribera del Duero region, where he was also attracted by the challenges that this harsh region presents to a winemaker. It all began in 1995 with the first Pingus, produced from old vines from just a few microplots covering a mere 5 hectares. And even this first wine caused a huge stir, with the world's renowned critics giving it dream ratings. The secret of the magic of Pingus wines has still not been revealed. Of course, the oenological methods used to produce great wines also apply here: the best terroir, very old vines, strict grape selection of the already small harvests and conscientious vinification. However, this does not explain the intensity, complexity, finesse, depth and elegance of these wines with their simultaneous mineral freshness. Naturally, Peter Sissek works with deep respect for nature and first and foremost lets the vineyard do its work. He has reduced the use of new oak over the years and places even more emphasis on the character of the terroir and the Tempranillo. However, this only partially explains the magical pull that these wines exert on the nose and palate. Pingus has long since become a myth, although at these prices and with an availability of just over 6,000 bottles per vintage, only a few will really experience it. It has long been mentioned in the same breath as Vega Sicilia, Chateau Margaux or the wines of Domaine de La Romanée-Conti. However, if you want to experience Peter Sissek's art of winemaking for affordable money, which he also makes available to wineries such as Hacienda Monasterio or Celler de Mas Gil, simply go for the "PSI", an outstanding wine with an excellent price/enjoyment ratio. Or the so-called second wine "Flor de Pingus. There is no need to mention that these two wines also achieve exceptionally good ratings.
