#7 on Hi-Time's Top Spanish Wines of 2025
Peter Sisseck, the iconoclast behind cult wine, Pingus, wanted to pare down the winemaking for a more classical and youthfully expressive Duero red. The name he chose, "Psi," is the Greek letter that resembles the old head-pruned vine depicted on the label, echoing the focus on a more straightforward expression of the vines.
Reflecting the traditions of planting a mix of varieties here, the savory-tinged Tempranillo is complemented by some expansive, juicy Garnacha, which really helps make this so friendly. "Psi" combines sun-kissed tones of fleshy plum, crunchy dark and red berries, flowers, Mediterranean herbs and stony earth, all surrounding a firm, mineral core. Oak only plays a supporting role here. The expansive mouthfeel transitions into a softly-tapered finish with Tempranillo's signature chalky, pixelated sensations left on the palate. A serious wine that happens to be a crowd-pleaser. Practices organic and biodynamic farming.
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - The bottled 2022 PSI follows the character of the sample I tasted last year: it's clean, expressive and open. It's perfumed, elegant, floral and quite attractive and does not transmit any heat. In fact, it has contained ripeness and around 13.8% alcohol. They have improved the selection tremendously, and the wine has gained in precision; it's better each year. There is something that reminds me of the old vintages of Pesquera (1994 and before), with notes of orange peel and aromatic herbs. It's medium-bodied, has fine tannins and very good freshness. Only 20% of the volume matured in barrel and the rest in large oak vats (2,000-, 5,000- and 10,000-liter ones), and the élevage is quite respectful of the wine. This should be readily available, as they produced 360,000 bottles in 2022. It's detailed and hand-crafted, real wine in good volume, coming from 700 plots of old vines, all in all around 8% Garnacha. Despite the conditions of the year, this has to be one of the finest vintages of PSI."
Peter Sisseck, the iconoclast behind cult wine, Pingus, wanted to pare down the winemaking for a more classical and youthfully expressive Duero red. The name he chose, "Psi," is the Greek letter that resembles the old head-pruned vine depicted on the label, echoing the focus on a more straightforward expression of the vines.
Reflecting the traditions of planting a mix of varieties here, the savory-tinged Tempranillo is complemented by some expansive, juicy Garnacha, which really helps make this so friendly. "Psi" combines sun-kissed tones of fleshy plum, crunchy dark and red berries, flowers, Mediterranean herbs and stony earth, all surrounding a firm, mineral core. Oak only plays a supporting role here. The expansive mouthfeel transitions into a softly-tapered finish with Tempranillo's signature chalky, pixelated sensations left on the palate. A serious wine that happens to be a crowd-pleaser. Practices organic and biodynamic farming.
WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - The bottled 2022 PSI follows the character of the sample I tasted last year: it's clean, expressive and open. It's perfumed, elegant, floral and quite attractive and does not transmit any heat. In fact, it has contained ripeness and around 13.8% alcohol. They have improved the selection tremendously, and the wine has gained in precision; it's better each year. There is something that reminds me of the old vintages of Pesquera (1994 and before), with notes of orange peel and aromatic herbs. It's medium-bodied, has fine tannins and very good freshness. Only 20% of the volume matured in barrel and the rest in large oak vats (2,000-, 5,000- and 10,000-liter ones), and the élevage is quite respectful of the wine. This should be readily available, as they produced 360,000 bottles in 2022. It's detailed and hand-crafted, real wine in good volume, coming from 700 plots of old vines, all in all around 8% Garnacha. Despite the conditions of the year, this has to be one of the finest vintages of PSI."
