Dominio de Pingus is one of Spain’s most legendary boutique wineries, founded in 1995 near Quintanilla de Onésimo in the Ribera del Duero region by Danish oenologist Peter Sisseck. While managing Hacienda Monasterio since 1993, Sisseck discovered ancient, head-trained Tempranillo vines in La Horra and was inspired to establish a wine devoted to purity, expression of place, and minimal intervention. The vines had never been fertilised or treated with pesticides and were grown in the traditional en vaso system.
Pingus achieved immediate fame with its inaugural 1995 vintage, which received extraordinary acclaim from critics and was hailed as one of the greatest young red wines ever produced in Spain. A dramatic twist in the story came when a shipment of 75 cases sank off the Azores, reducing supply even further and catapulting early prices to international heights.
Today, Dominio de Pingus remains one of the rarest and most exclusive producers in the world. The flagship Pingus is produced in minute quantities, often less than 500 cases, from extremely old, low-yielding vineyards. The estate also produces Flor de Pingus, crafted from slightly younger vines and offering a more accessible style; Amelia, a micro-cuvée from a single century-old vineyard; and PSI, a broader project launched in 2007 to support local growers and preserve Ribera’s old-vine heritage through organic and biodynamic farming.
Sisseck’s winemaking philosophy is guided by restraint and transparency. Fermentations are carried out in large wooden vats, oak use is carefully controlled, and biodynamic viticulture has been embraced since 2001. The aim is to preserve depth, vitality, and varietal clarity rather than shape the wines through heavy-handed technique.
Dominio de Pingus is more than a winery; it is a symbol of what modern Spain can achieve when vision meets terroir. It elevated Ribera del Duero to global prestige and redefined the possibilities of Tempranillo, creating wines that are as scarce as they are profound.