Has anyone had this wine? Bought a few bottles in CA last week, wine shop was gushing about it.

Hey Spain is still over here in Europe (it was last time I checked...)
It's not a bad wine at all but being the second vin of superfamous Pingus it fetches absurd prices in Spain (up to 110€) whereas in the USA it can be had for about $40. So in Spain it has become fashionable to say it's crap meaning simply it's nowhere near the expectations aroused by its price. Apparently even Spain has cult wines nowadays...
Used to the international scene I of course learned a long time ago (thanks to y u all) not to judge a wine by its price tag (nor, conversely, underrate expensive wine just because I can't afford it).

I tasted this from a rep about 3 weeks ago. I thought it had a green streak running through it that was unattractive. 79 pts from me. Sorry, but I don't recommend it. I hope I got a bad bottle for your sake, but they usually don't present bad ones when they are trying to sell wines to us.

jb

I saw this on the wine list at Bolo's for $60. I was tempted, but maybe it was a good thing that I didn't get it based on JB's notes.

Doc

Jazin -- In today's NYTimes panel review, they rated the '00 Flor de Pingus *** and "best of tasting." So maybe JB did get a bad bottle...

I highly doubt I got a bad bottle, as when I tasted it, I told the rep to his face that it had a green streak. He had tasted it with me. He didn't say the bottle was bad. If he thought it was off, he would have made excuses. For what it's worth.

Personally, I wouldn't buy it.

jb

For $60 there gotta be better bottles of wine...like two Numanthias...

FWIW, bottmfshr, I could care less what the NY Times thought of it. They have no clue, IMO. I would much rather know what you, Gastro, ojeffso, etc. think about it.

jb

Actually since Jazin got it already I believe the next thing is to wait or try, and I'd say wait.
Still I'd much rather get a couple of Hacienda Monasterios than a Flor de Pingus...

Re: Bolo: OTOH if the tag was $60 at a restaurant it wasn't that high at all...
Re: Bigbrother "Pingus": I've just read an interview with Sisseck who's totally bewildered at the quality of the 2003 Pingus even during malo. 2002 was "not declared" but 2001 and 2003 could be great. At $400+ they better be...

90 IWC; 90 Winetex; $48

This wine is Tempranillo, not sure if it’s a blend. It was a medium ruby color with aromas of black cherry, oak and a hard to identify herbal note. Perhaps this is the green streak that JB noted in the bottles that he tried. It was minor and a positive part of the aroma and taste. It also had an aroma of meat (grilled rare steak to be specific). Tanzer calls it “game” in his review. More of the same with the flavors with a sweet aspect to the fruit, liquorice and smoke. The wine was balanced with acids, tannins in good proportion. If anything the wine is unique but a bit rustic and continued to improve through the evening.

14.0% alcohol; Decanted thirty minutes, suggest at least an hour; Ready to drink but could hold short term.

Had this with dinner with a vendor last week. Not too much of a TN, more of a comment as I was too busy discussing 'bidneth'...

2000 Flor de Pingus Ribera del Duero

Grilled meat and charred wood with plenty of dark fruit and faint mint along with the previously mentioned difficult to define herb. Not too chewy it was drinking pretty well at the moment and it seemed decently put together. No wow-ser, but nice.

87-88 TJ points.

90 Winetex points

Last night it showed significant oak along with an herbal note to the expansive nose. A very nice wine all of the way through but doesn't thrill. Better with food than without.

Decanted 30 minutes and needed every bit of that. Again I suggest an hour decant.