2001 Dominio de Pingus, Ribera del Duero, Pingus

The opaque ruby/purple-colored, firmly-structured 2001 Pingus is more closed and backward than the extravagantly rich, flamboyant 2000. It offers great fruit on the attack along with huge body, and notes of grilled meats intermixed with Provencal herbs, pepper, spice box, cigar smoke, and copious quantities of barbecue smoke-infused blackberry and cassis flavors. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2028. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

(I tasted the final blend just days before the bottling) Deep ruby-red. Extremely complex, musky, pure nose melds bitter cherry, black raspberry, dried flowers, licorice, gunpowder, bitter chocolate and coffee. Rich, sappy and fine, with a tightly coiled spring of black raspberry fruit and considerable class. Very intensely flavored but also subtle. Finishes with big, chewy, noble tannins and superb length. This filled my mouth and the entire inside of my head. As young Pingus typically does, this began floral and rather delicate, then grew fatter and more chocolatey with extended aeration, showing near-roasted ripeness. Based on the reputations of the two vintages, this should ultimately surpass the 2000 Pingus, but that earlier wine is a huge success in the context of the year.

Subtle forest floor aromas, then fresher woodland and cedar mixed with bramble fruit. Overall subtle, silky and fresh with the fully resolved tannins giving silky freshness. (JH)