24.11.17 Peter Sisseck to Produce Sherry

Peter Sisseck, producer of the famous and expensive Pingus from the Ribera del Duero is to get involved with Sherry. Born in Denmark, Sisseck studied viticulture and oenology at Bordeaux, where he worked with various well-known châteaux. He also worked in California before coming to Spain and working as a consultant at Hacienda Monasterio in Ribera del Duero. He bought three parcels of old vines also in the Ribera del Duero and totalling five hectares, and in 1995 began to produce the now almost legendary Pingus, a wine which sells for over 1,000 euros a bottle. During his time at Hacienda Monasterio he became friends with its president, Carlos del Rio González Gordon, also a board member of González Byass, and now the two are partners in a new venture in Jerez.

(L-R: Peter Sisseck, Angel Zamorano and Carlos del Rio Gonzalez Gordon. foto el mundo)

Just a few days ago they bought a bodega from Sanlúcar bodeguero Juan Piñero, the one in Calle San Francisco Javier, Jerez, which houses Fino Camborio. The original solera belonged to Fernando A de Terry and disappeared via Rumasa, Harveys, Allied Domecq and Pernod Ricard and Piñero bought the brand name. He bought the bodega and its wines in 2006 from the almacenista Ángel Zamorano who had built up his business from scratch since 1974. Zamora had some 200 butts of good Fino and Piñero contracted Ramiro Ibáñez to improve it. He separated the best 65 butts and a new Camborio was launched. From then on, all the butts were refreshed with wine from Viña Callejuela in Sanlúcar.

Peter Sisseck and Carlos del Rio González Gordon have also bought 10 hectares of albariza on high ground in the pago Balbaína which will supply mostos for the criaderas, and over the years the resulting wine will become a single vineyard Sherry. Sisseck considers that good Fino is the best white wine in Spain and the plan is to produce an outstanding example, perhaps two. It is still too early to speculate on wine styles or brand names, but this is a venture to watch out for.