Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2011 Flor de Pingus is a ripe and powerful Flor that reached 15.5% alcohol in a very warm vintage. The wine is always a combination of 16 separate plots of Tempranillo from the village of La Horra, some young, and some old that are fermented individually in 4,000-liter stainless steel vats. In this ripe and powerful vintage that Sisseck compares with 2009, he decided to age the wine for 18 months in used French oak barrels. This shows riper than other 2011s from Sisseck (is it because it-s only Tempranillo?), with aromas of ripe plums, dark cherries, cinnamon and cloves with a slight lactic touch. The palate is full-bodied, lush and round, with plenty of glycerin, but fresh flavors and good balancing acidity.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Ribera del Duero, Spanish wine region, is located in northen Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive from Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back more than 2000 years, it was in the 1980s that 9 wineries applied for and were granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 300 wineries call Ribera del Duero home, including some of Spain’s most iconic names.
Notable Facts Ribera’s main grape variety, Tempranillo, locally know as Tinto Fino, is perfectly suited to the extreme climate of the region, where it must survive scorching summers and frigid winters. Low yields resulting from conscientious tending to old vines planted in Ribera’s diverse soils types, give Ribera wines a distinctive depth and complexity not found in other Tempranillos. Rich and full-bodied, the spice, dark fruit and smoky flavors in a bold Ribera del Duero will pair well with roasted and grilled meats, Mexican food and tomato-based sauces.