The 2009 Flor de Pingus (3000 cases) will ultimately spend 14 months in a mix of new and used French oak. It is opaque purple in color with a primary perfume of pain grille, mineral, spice box, incense, and blackberry. Locked and loaded with remarkable concentration and depth, this mouth-coating lengthy offering manages to incorporate some elegance into its powerful physique. It will drink well for 30-40 years. Dominio de Pingus is where Peter Sisseck, Danish ex-pat, works his magic. Having visited the cellars in May 2010 where I first tasted these wines and again in February 2011 with the importer, there is no doubting that these (along with the 2004s) are the greatest wines of Sisseck’s career. Pingus is pricy (but no more expensive than a Bordeaux First Growth) while Flor de Pingus (as they say in boxing) is pound for pound one of the great values in winedom. These 2009s (all 100% Tempranillo) are barrel samples but since they will go into bottle without manipulation the consumer can have complete confidence in what is being purchased. Importer: Mannie Berk, The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; Tel. (800) 999-4342; www.rarewineco.com