PAGO DE CARRAOVEJAS

PAGO DE CARRAOVEJAS

Pago de Carraovejas is one of the main players in the most talked about DO in Spain, the celebrated Ribera del Duero. The estate of around 150 hectares is just 5 km from the town of Peñafiel.

Exactingly high standards have been maintained at Pago de Carraovejasever since the estate was first set up in 1987. Joint owner and winemaker Tomás Postigo has recently moved on, but the Segovia based restaurateur José María Ruiz is still at the helm.

The wine’s success in both Spain and abroad has been well documented, and with this has come controlled expansion and investment. One major investment was the installation of 17 temperature-controlled fermentation vessels (€ 40K each), the last word in modern winemaking and ideal for achieving the desirable malo ferm in cask. For pressing the estate’s 150 hectares of hand-picked and hand-selected fruit, they use 5 small, batch-fed vertical presses. This most ancient method, time-consuming and laborious, is still the best medium for producing must with low phenolic bitterness and of course the quality required at Pago.

Their commitment to high standards is seen also in their barrel selection, 75% French from tonelerías such as Seguin-Moreau, Taransaud and Saury. The grape mix in the estate is about 85% Tempranillo, with the rest being made up of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. There are ongoing experiments with Petit Verdot.

 

RED

 
PAGO DE CARRAOVEJAS CRIANZA