2021 Pago de Carraovejas

The Pago de Carraovejas is an almost Bordeaux-like wine and is incomparable with other Ribera del Dueros. The 2021 vintage is a blend of the three varieties present on the estate: 92% tempranillo, 5% cabernet sauvignon and 3% merlot. The wine is very complex and beautifully proportioned. Nothing dominates and various layers are released over time when smelling and tasting. Cedar, Asian herbs, violets, tapenade, and blackberry aromas in the nose. Fruit on the palate with soft wood tannins with a small vanilla note from growing up in American oak. The taste is medium to full-bodied and very balanced with fine, tight tannins and a silky texture. In terms of style, this wine can be compared to an Aalto from its good years and that is not surprising as the former winemaker and director Javier Zaccagnini of Aalto has worked closely with Pago de Carraovejas and Javier Zaccagnini is also the owner of Ossian which is currently now also falls under Pago de Carraovejas group. In addition to Pago de Carraovejas, the current Alma Carraovejas group also has Ossian, Vina Mein and Emilio Rojo in its portfolio.

Pago de Carraovejas is the truest reflection of the valley from which it takes its name. The Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines are spread over several slopes of the Carraovejas Valley located in a wilderness at an altitude of over 900 meters. The vineyards are planted on tertiary soil. On the surface, loamy limestones emerge, with the presence of clay, sandstone and gypsum with the characteristic white hue. It is an austere soil that subjects the vines to an attempt to control the yield and give the best of themselves. These are soils that force the vines to regulate themselves and do their best. The vineyards are distributed from the middle zones up to more than 900 meters; from the gentle undulation that descends to the stream, to plots with a gradient of more than 30%. South and north facing slopes, each with their own personality, outline the profile of the Carraovejas Valley. The grapes for Pago de Carraovejas were harvested by hand after an initial selection of bunches in the vineyard. A double selection was then made in the winery: first on bunch and then on berry. Gravity must allow maximum respect for the raw material during production. During the fermentation process, indigenous yeasts and milk bacteria from our own estate were used. The wine matured for 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

Fact: In addition to Ossian, the Pago Carraojevas group has also included the beautiful winery Viña Mein in Galicia. Great wines made with a sea injection. At the end of 2020 , Milsetentayseis La Peña (wines from very old Pre-Phylloxera vines) and the iconic wines (always between 95-100 parking points) from Emilio Rojo were added to the group (Alma Carraovejas). The latest acquisition will be in mid-2021, which now belongs to the Bodega Marañones group from the Sierra de Gredos. In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send it to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will immediately see the possible discount if you choose Pickup in the Checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for address.

ABOUT VINTAGE 2021 RIBERA DEL DUERO

The 2021 vintage featured a winter with high rainfall, which promoted a homogeneous vegetative cycle in the vineyard, while spontaneous and sown cover crops helped control the vigor of the vines. By the end of April there was widespread budbreak without any climatic incidents. The vines did not experience any hindrance in the development and evolution of the buds, resulting in very good yields that were balanced thanks to the thinning technique. The harvest took longer than normal due to occasional periods of rain; it started on September 22 and ended on October 14.