Description
PSI is the brainchild of Peter Sisseck, founder of Dominio de Pingus -arguably Spain most famous wine.
The idea is to utilise some neglected, but potentially great old assets, human and vinous, of Ribera del Duero. In short, they are the old bush-vine holdings ( 80 years old) of the senior citizens ( some octagenarians amongst them!) of Ribera del Duero, old peasant guys in the main, who have been growing fruit to sell off for decades.
In the main, despite the great age and quality of the vineyards, the resultant material and commercially realised wines have been uninspiring. In conjunction with Pablo Rubio (winemaker at Dominio de Pingus), Peter has re-fashioned the viticulture of these old vines, and rejuvenated the old guys’ relationship with their beloved gnarled old plots. PSI is organic and biodynamic Tinto del Pais (local clone Tempranillo) from old bush-vine plots at around 900m altitude in the valleys of Gromejón and Perales, from 4 principal locations: Pedrosa de Duero, La Aguilera, Gumiel de Izan and Peñaranda de Duero. This is similar territory to Cillar de Silos, to the north of Aranda del Deuro in the central zone of RdD. First vintage, 2007. ‘Arnaldo’ is a lovely tract of land near Peter’s home, and mere namesake of the project, not its location. PSI is the 23rd letter of the Greek Alphabet (and also the initials P and Si of the maker, señor Sisseck).
Smoky purple fruits, lifted red cola over meat glaze and deep woodily-wizened aromas of old vines. Beautifully earthy to smell and taste, full and bright, laden with dark cherry fruit. A fine, elegant and polished Ribera.
Gently, beautifully earthy to smell and taste, densely fruited, it’s full and bright, not heavy, laden with dark cherry fruit – a fine, elegant and polished Ribera. Stylistically straddling Burgundy and Barolo – soft and juicy at front leading into wonderful old-vine fruit tannin, with gentle acid/spice closure at palate’s end. Beautiful deep, subtle palate, with wonderful fruit tannin, spice and the expression of vine age. 2009 was a warm vintage of great quality; in the sensitive hands of someone like Peter Sisseck we get wines combining power, complexity and deftness. Dry and hot from July on, September rains cooled and slowed things, and then the fruit was left to hang and harmonise quite late, being harvested in mid-to-late October. To obtain a softer extraction, the grapes of ‘PSI’ are vinified in large traditional concrete vats. The wine then spends a further 17 months ageing in a combination of concrete and wooden vats and oak barriques, all of which nurture and gently extract the wine’s complexity and natural aromas. This is top shelf RRP $100