Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Pago del Cielo Celeste Verdejo Sur Lies 2023 – Rueda DO, Castilla y León, Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
Made from 100% Verdejo, this wine undergoes sur lies aging, allowing extended contact with the lees to build texture and complexity while preserving the variety’s vibrant freshness. The result is a beautifully balanced Verdejo that overdelivers with remarkable depth and value.

Aromas & Flavors
Lime zest, grapefruit, green apple, white peach, fennel, fresh herbs, and subtle citrus blossom are complemented by delicate lees-derived notes of fresh bread and almond.

Mouthfeel
Bright and energetic with lively acidity wrapped around a creamy, silky texture. The sur lies aging adds weight and complexity without introducing buttery richness, creating a beautifully focused and refreshing finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled shrimp, oysters, ceviche, seafood paella, roasted vegetables, goat cheese, sushi, or herb-roasted chicken.

Verdict
An expressive and remarkably well-crafted Verdejo that combines freshness with texture in a way few wines at this price point achieve. Elegant, refreshing, and immensely satisfying.

Did You Know?
“Sur lies” means the wine remains in contact with its spent yeast cells after fermentation. Gentle stirring of the lees (bâtonnage) can further enhance creaminess and complexity while preserving freshness, a technique often associated with top white Burgundies but increasingly embraced by premium Verdejo producers.

🍷 Personal Pick
This wine genuinely surprised me. It delivers far more complexity than expected, with the creamy lees texture beautifully balancing its vibrant acidity. For anyone who thinks Verdejo is simply another crisp white, this bottle proves just how compelling, and underrated Rueda can be. — 19 days ago

Rick & Connie

9.0

Sharing time with Matt and Steph. — 2 years ago

Neal Ferry

9.0

Outstanding on a hot day…. — 3 years ago

with TwiLea

Chris MacLean

8.9

Solid for mixed appetizers. A touch oxidized but retains freshness. — 5 years ago

with Sarah

Kevin Løk

9.0

Went back to this well to verify that it’s the best midlevel Chianti offering if you’re trapped in the 1980s hellscape that is buying wine in Pennsylvania. It’s your best bet. — 5 years ago

with Caroline

Erik Elias Kantor

8.9

Great body wine with a smooth aftertaste at a very affordable price. — 6 years ago

Jan A

9.6

Elegant and spices. In hindsight, drank my previous bottles way too early. This was firing on al cylinders today. — 3 months ago

Jamie Amann

9.0

Had a ruby color. Smelled like red berries and tasted like cherry or blackberry. — 4 months ago

Vera H

9.0

Love it! Crisp and refreshing. — a year ago

Daron Watson

9.5

perfume of violet, wild berry pastilles, damson plum, porcini, Mediterranean herbs & botanicals, graphite & tobacco ~ juicy red fruits, burnt orange slices, soft black licorice and a silty finish ~ linear and tight…for now 😉🍷 — 2 years ago

Kristie

9.4

Chicken cacciatore — 4 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Castello di Amorosa Cresta d'Oro Vineyard Rosato di Pinot Noir 2020, California

Pale salmon in color.

Light nose of lemons, light strawberries, citrus, limes, river rocks, green apples, sea salt and earth.

Light to medium in body with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, strawberries, limes, grapefruits, bitter herbs, spices, light earth, green apples and minerals.

Nice length on the finish with limes.

This is a very enjoyable Rosé from Russian River Valley. Nicely balanced, crisp and refreshing. Light and engaging without being bitter nor tart.

This Single Vineyard is showing nice complexity already. Easy drinking and good by itself.

Gets earthier as it opens up with an old world feel (30 minutes).

Good by itself or with food. A tasty wine that I enjoyed all by itself by the pool.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$35. — 5 years ago

Nagib Nasr

9.1

Had a 2003 in 2020... took a bit to open up. Smooth, acidic and intense!! Love it!! — 6 years ago

with Wissam

Daniel Diaz

10

2026 Cruise Wine — 3 months ago

Lisa

9.1

$25 at total wine — 4 months ago

Veronica S

8.9

Still got it! Deep golden color. Apricot, bergamot, soft anise. Light textured on the palate. Only 8% ABV, easy to drink. Not too sweet. Amazingly approachable. — 10 months ago

David Kronman

9.7

Aroma smells like candy, very light bubbles. Extremely smooth, light guava and citrus flavors. — 2 years ago

Steve Somermeyer

9.4

Tannins have softened but the fruit still shines. Great wine! — 4 years ago

djbeau

9.5

Fantastic. Great with chili. TW19 — 5 years ago

Chris DeRenzi

8.9

2017- very earthy. Good peppery spice. Subtle dark fruit. Good tannins — 6 years ago