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. — 3 days ago

Chris Buggy

9.1

Tangerine and grapefruit, great crisp, finish, with some heft…a treat with fresh Spanish mackerel — 10 months ago

with Jennifer

Hajime Kawasaki

9.0

オレンジに近い白
クロスティーニにピッタリ。
濃厚な蜂蜜の香りが鼻に抜ける — 3 years ago

Martijn

8.9

Curious wine from Sicily. Sauvignon with noble rot.
Had to get used to it but once used very pleasant with tropical fruits and some umami notes. — 6 years ago

Kate Parkerson

9.1

Very smooth and pleasant Pinot — 7 years ago

Greg Gratson

9.2

Better Malbec — 8 years ago

Daniel Diaz

10

2026 Cruise Wine — 3 months ago

Mo

9.3

Delicious wine that has more years left to cellar. — 4 months ago

Mark LaClair

9.8

My first Amarone was this 2006. 20 years age might just be the sweet spot. Deep, dark, inky garnet with fig, prune, raisin on the nose. Smooth texture, ripe tannins, more dark fruit on the pallet leaning into tertiary notes. Shared in my wine class how the Appassimento method is used to dry the grapes, concentrating the flavors prior to fermentation. This was a treat for all of us. — 5 months 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

Chris MacLean

8.9

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

with Sarah

Kevin Mckinney

10

Smokey and full bodied but with a surprising fruity finish. Very unique I love it! — 7 years ago

Guillermo Vargas

9.0

Muy bueno. Cuerpo medio, sabores equilibrados — 8 years ago

Joe Christenson

9.0

Delightfully rustic. Wild strawberry, cranberry, red cherry, and sage. Light to medium bodied. Tannins are silky smooth. Would pair beautifully with grilled fish, roast poultry, or a rustic pizza. — 3 months ago

Ben Lehman

9.2

Itali-disco happy juice. Really nice bubbles — 4 months ago

Nishith Jobanputra

9.0

Impressive, bigger and more refined than expected. Satellite bottle shop. — 6 months ago

Tam Chambers

9.1

05.01.25-Marimba Seafood - awesome flavors pairs great with seafood starters — a year ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Slightly darker in color. Yeast and intense nose. Clarity and crisp mid palate. Intense and focused. Very good. — 3 years ago

with Gregg

Jackie Po

9.3

Well balanced... good with spicy food!! — 6 years ago

Chris Cooney

9.7

Deep saline core textured with nutty and citrus finish. Seriously tasty. — 7 years ago