Bodegas Proelio, a leading advocate for terroir and old vines in the DOCa Rioja, is launching La Cuvée Rosado Reserva 2023, the first age-worthy rosé from Palacios Vinos de Finca.

A wine that arrives at just the right moment, with summer as its backdrop and a wine that defies the stereotypes of light rosé to offer us a wine that pairs beautifully with food.

Finca La Esperilla: the origins

The 2023 Rosé Reserva Cuvée comes from a unique vineyard at Finca La Esperilla. Planted in 1974, it is situated on the slopes of Clavijo Castle, in the heart of the Iregua Valley. With over 50 years of history, this vineyard sits on ferrous sandy soils that lend the wine a characteristic freshness and crisp, well-defined fruit.

The blend for this wine comprises three grape varieties (Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo) grown at Finca La Esperilla, a unique terroir synonymous with freshness. Rooted in the La Rioja landscape—which already takes centre stage in other Proelio wines—it is expressed here for the first time as a rosé.

Furthermore, whilst the soil is sandy-ferrous, the Garnacha is planted in the lower-lying area, where the soil is clayey, thus lending the wine greater body.

A blend of indigenous grape varieties

The Cuvée is the result of a blend of three indigenous Rioja grape varieties harvested together: 50% Tempranillo, 30% Garnacha and 20% Mazuelo. Each contributes its own character to the wine: the structure and red fruit notes of Tempranillo, the roundness and floral nuances of Garnacha, and the fresh acidity and deep colour of Mazuelo.

The grapes are harvested by hand and all varieties are crushed together without destemming. Pressing is carried out in the traditional manner, using a vertical press, where only 50 per cent of the grapes are pressed to yield must, in keeping with the principles of the Cuvée

18 months in used oak barrels

What sets La Cuvée apart from other conventional rosés is its ageing process. The wine is aged for 18 months in fourth-year French oak barrels and for a minimum of a further 6 months in the bottle before being released onto the market.

An ageing process that adds layers of complexity without detracting from its freshness, transforming this rosé into a premium wine suitable for laying down, designed to be enjoyed by the glass both now and in the years to come.

As Raúl Tamayo, winemaker at Proelio and Nivarius, describes it: “It is an intense, complex and fresh wine with notes of tart fruit. On the palate, it is fresh, smooth and well-structured, with a crisp, fruity finish.”

La Cuvée: much more than just a term

Furthermore, the chosen name, La Cuvée, has an interesting history. It is a French term which, in Champagne production, refers to the must obtained from the first pressing of the grapes, considered to be of the highest quality, finesse and acidity. A concept that perfectly sums up the philosophy behind this wine: the best of each variety, in its purest and most elegant expression.

What does La Cuvée pair well with?

Proelio La Cuvée is a food-friendly wine. Its balanced acidity, fruity notes and structure on the palate make it an extraordinarily versatile wine at the table. It pairs particularly well with:

Fish and seafood, especially when baked or grilled.

Rice and pasta dishes with seafood or vegetable sauces.

Heavier meat dishes, where the wine’s structure and barrel ageing allow it to hold its own with ease.

Sushi and Japanese cuisine, where its freshness and acidity balance the intensity of the flavours.

Limited production

The 2023 Cuvée Rosado Reserva is produced in a limited run of 2,250 bottles and offers one of the best value-for-money options amongst premium age-worthy rosés. An authentic wine, deeply rooted in the landscape where it was born.

The philosophy of Palacios Vinos de Finca is to champion the terroir, the old vineyards and the unique landscapes of Rioja. For this reason, we are committed to this rosé, born in a magical spot on the slopes of Clavijo Castle.

A wine on trend

The context in which La Cuvée was created is no coincidence. According to the 2025 World Rosé Observatory, global consumption of rosé wines reached 18.5 million hectolitres, with France, Germany and the United States accounting for more than half of global consumption. Spain, for its part, is the world’s second-largest producer and leading exporter of rosé.

La Cuvée has been created specifically to offer a wine with character within the premium age-worthy rosé category: a rosé with its own distinct identity, suitable for ageing and clearly designed to accompany food.