CUNE 2024 Rioja Rosado

The Wine

Despite its pale color, this is a lively rosado treating anyone lucky enough to pop its cork to classic aromas of strawberry, watermelon rind, citrus zest, and a crisp, refreshing finish. This is a "direct‑press rosé" - red grapes pressed immediately after crushing, with little/no time on the colorful skins.

Fermentation and a short aging period both occurred in stainless steel, and the wine saw no oak prior to bottling. Sourced from Rioja Alta vineyards planted on clay‑limestone soils that naturally produce grapes with refreshing acidity - a key to a food-friendly rosado! The 2024 vintage was mild, producing clean, aromatic fruit ideal for rosado. Grapes are grown and harvested specifically for rosado (not a byproduct of concentrating a red wine by bleeding off the pale juice early in the process).

In this process, the grapes are harvested early when they are at their sweet spot for freshness, then fermented at cool temperatures to ensure their delicate aromatics don't escape through high heat.

The wine is light, dry, and easygoing with bright acidity, and with just 13% ABV, a wine that works well on hot summer days when high alcohol turns quickly unpleasant.

Pairings: In general, Rose wines are among the world's most food-friendly offerings! But to experience this wine in a synergistic spiral, where both the food and the wine taste better together than they do alone, reach for your favorite recipe for tapas/charcuterie, paella, grilled vegetables and cheeses like Manchego, Mahón, or Garrotxa.

The Winery

Founded in 1879, CVNE began as an acronym for Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana. But a spelling error during the production of their early branding materials led to this acronym being written as CUNE! Some 100+ years later, this acronym has become spelled out as a word - Cune - as seen on this wine's label.

Still family‑owned after five generations, the estate is a leader in sustainability in Rioja, using solar energy, rainwater capture, composting of vineyard waste, and biodiversity corridors throughout their holdings. Vineyards are farmed with reduced herbicides and integrated pest management. Winemaker María Larrea has been in her position for a quarter of a century and is a icon of honoring traditional agriculture as the author of a great wine.