Winery: Pago de Carraovejas

Country / Region: Spain / DO Ribera del Duero

Date Winery was established: 1987

Alcohol Content / Volume: 15% / 750ml

Ratings: 96 pts. Tim Atkin

Good to know: Pago de Carraovejas was born in 1987 when Segovian sommelier and restaurateur José María Ruiz set out to create the ultimate wine to pair with his famous roast suckling pig. Nestled in the high-altitude hills of Peñafiel within Spain's prestigious Ribera del Duero region, the estate quickly evolved from a passion project into a benchmark of modern winemaking. Today, the producer is celebrated for its terroir-driven philosophy and innovative techniques—most notably their state-of-the-art, gravity-fed winery, the exclusive use of native yeasts, and their bold decision to abandon traditional aging classifications (like Crianza or Reserva) in favor of bottling highly expressive, vintage-focused blends of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

The Cuesta de las Liebres 2021 represents the absolute pinnacle of Pago de Carraovejas' portfolio, produced only in truly exceptional vintages as a pure, unadulterated expression of 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo). Sourced from a single, steeply terraced, high-altitude hillside plot composed of loamy limestone and calcium salts, the grapes are meticulously hand-harvested and vinified using indigenous yeasts and a gentle, gravity-fed process. Following 24 months of aging in extra-fine-grain French oak, the wine pours a brilliant cherry red and delivers an incredibly complex nose of ripe blackberries, cassis, blue violets, sweet baking spices, and distinct graphite minerality. On the palate, it is muscular, highly concentrated, and full-bodied, yet perfectly seamless, showcasing chalky, well-integrated tannins, vibrant acidity, and a remarkably long, balsamic finish. Hailed as a historic masterpiece and awarded a perfect 100 points by critic Jeb Dunnuck, this monumental Ribera del Duero is breathtaking now with a long decant, but possesses the immense structure and elegance to evolve beautifully in the cellar for decades.