Winemaker Notes
Well balanced with firm yet subtle tannins. Characterized by its ripe, black fruit and berry flavors, violet aromatics and subtle spice, Pago de Carraovejas can be fully enjoyed young although it continues to develop in the bottle.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2022 Pago de Carraovejas blends Tempranillo with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. In recent vintages, the contributions of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have gradually decreased to emphasize Tempranillo. The wine was aged for one year in oak barrels. It displays precise fruit expression, delicate violet hint and subtle herbal touch. Juicy, structured and dense without excessive tannin tightness, this is a well-crafted Ribera offering depth and tension.
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James Suckling
A concentrated, dense Ribera del Duero, but there is a lot to like if you enjoy plushness, with its lush blackberry fruit and dark chocolate. Fine-grained and full-bodied on the palate, but fresh and still pretty tense, with chalky tannins. Drink from 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Pago de Carraovejas wants to be the expression of the valley that names the wine. It was produced with 93% Tempranillo, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot in a very warm and dry and challenging year when the wine achieved a whopping 15.5% alcohol after spending 12 months in 226- and 600-liter French and American oak barrels. It's dark, aromatic and heady, juicy and a little decadent, with ripe flavors and fine tannins, clearly reflecting the conditions of the year.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
Ribera del Duero, Spanish wine region, is located in northen Spain’s Castilla y León region, just a 2-hour drive from Madrid. While winemaking in this area goes back more than 2000 years, it was in the 1980s that 9 wineries applied for and were granted Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status. Today, more than 300 wineries call Ribera del Duero home, including some of Spain’s most iconic names.
Notable Facts Ribera’s main grape variety, Tempranillo, locally know as Tinto Fino, is perfectly suited to the extreme climate of the region, where it must survive scorching summers and frigid winters. Low yields resulting from conscientious tending to old vines planted in Ribera’s diverse soils types, give Ribera wines a distinctive depth and complexity not found in other Tempranillos. Rich and full-bodied, the spice, dark fruit and smoky flavors in a bold Ribera del Duero will pair well with roasted and grilled meats, Mexican food and tomato-based sauces.