The Observer

TIM ATKIN MW meets Peter Sisseck and asks if it was really such a bad thing that 'a sizeable chunk' of his first vintage (1995) of Dominio de Pingus ended up at the bottom of the Atlantic. Sisseck confides that it was a pretty bad day but admits: 'Obviously, I'd prefer it if the boat hadn't sunk, but the loss of that wine had a crazy impact on the price in the United States. People were desperate to get hold of it.' And it would seem that this hasn't changed, which prompts Atkin to ask, 'Is Pingus worth the 2,500-a-case price tag it commands today?' Maybe, maybe not - 'but it's still a fantastic red that tastes as good in bottle as it does straight from the barrel'. He recommends 2003 Flor de Pingus (32.85; Corney & Barrow).