PAGO DE CARRAOVEJAS 2011 RISERVA

The winery was founded in 1988 and is located in the town of Penafiel. Pago de Carraovejas means 'the place where the sheep walk by', a loose translation. The ongoing pursuit of excellence best defines the career of Jose Maria Ruiz, Pago's founder and principal shareholder. Working his way through the restaurant trade (cook, waiter & sommelier) in his hometown of Segovia; Jose Maria, founded his own restaurant in 1982 and it soon became one of the city's top-rated venues. The winery was a logical extension of Jose Maria insistence on serving his restaurant clients the very best. Today he not only makes his own top quality house wine; but also raises heritage-breed pigs for his culinary specialty: Segovia-style roast suckling pig. The commercial success of the Pago de Carraovejas wines has been spectacular since the first vintage (1991) hit the streets in 1993. In addition to the 100,000 bottles opened annually at the restaurant, the wines have become a must for quality restaurant wine lists in all of Spain. Every vintage is quickly sold out and allocations continue to be hard to come by.