Dominio de Pingus ‘Pingus’ Ribera del Duero 1996 6 L

ROBERT PARKER ” The 1996 Dominio de Pingus is cut from the same mold as the extraordinary 1995. Yields are slightly higher, but still microscopic. The color is an opaque black/purple, and the exotic nose offers copious quantities of sweet cedar, smoke, and jammy blackberry and cassis fruit. New oak is present, but it is largely pushed to the background by the wine’s massive concentration. The tannin is sweet and well-integrated, and the wine is full-bodied and harmonious. Although one would think it would taste Bordeaux-like, it has its own individual style that falls somewhere between St.-Emilion’s Valandraud, Pesquera’s Janus, and Vega Sicilia’s Unico! More forward than the 1995, the 1996 is still a candidate for 25-30 years of aging. This is a brilliant winemaking effort! Bravo to proprietor Peter Sisseck for these extraordinary Spanish wines!  “