You can still dream, they say, but what good is it if you don't put any of it into practice? José Maria Ruiz did not stop at dreaming. The sommelier initially dreamed of his own restaurant, which he consequently opened in 1982. In doing so, he realised that local wines play a major role, but they must also be available in high quality. This was not the case in the 1980s in today's exclusive Ribera del Duero region, so he decided to found a winery and Pago de Carraovejas was born not far from Penafiel, the historic centre of the region. The first harvest took place in 1991, when the vineyards counted just a few hectares. Today, the winery cultivates around 200 hectares, the wines are celebrated and Pago de Carraovejas is one of a small group of highly committed wineries that have put the Ribera del Duero region at the centre of Spanish viticulture. The location of today's state-of-the-art winery could not have been better chosen. The parcels are situated at around 850 meters above sea level on the southern slopes of the Botjias Valley, protected from cold winds from the north. The grape varieties are limited to 3 red wine varieties, Tempranillo, here called Tinto Fino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, partly planted on steep slopes on terraces. The grapes are fed unpressed into the fermentation vats via a funnel-shaped container; pumping systems will not be necessary in the future, but ageing takes place in the traditional way over a period of up to two years in used French and American oak barrels. The wines are bottled in barrels as they develop, whereby the typical Crianza-Reserva-Gran Reserva classification has been abolished. The name is based on the quality of the wines in the barrel. Sustainability is a major issue at Pago de Carraovejas, and this extends from the vineyard and cellar to management systems and the treatment of employees. The aim is to produce completely climate-neutral wine by 2050. The bodega has long since achieved cult status among connoisseurs and lovers of Spanish wines with its unusual wines.
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