Three new members were welcomed into the Gran Orden de Caballeros de Vino at the 41st Caballeros Investiture Dinner on the 4th June 2026 at London’s Landmark Hotel, led by Commercial Counsellor, Ms. Nieves Díaz García and Chairman, Sarah Jane Evans MW.
The three new members, elected by secret ballot, were all born in Spain, although their careers have ensured that they have promoted Spanish wine and gastronomy all over the world. They include an export manager – Amelia Aragón from Cillar de Silos in Ribera del Duero – a winemaker – Rafael Palacios, whose eponymous winery is located in Valdeorras – and renowned sommelier, Josep Roca of the the three-Michelin-starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Girona.
As well as being introduced by Sarah Jane Evans MW and Ms. Nieves Díaz García, the new Caballeros del Vino Español were welcomed by the new Spanish Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, H.E. Mrs. Emma Aparici Vázquez de Parga and Ms. Amparo López Senovilla, the Spanish government’s Secretary of State for Trade.
It is the first time in the event’s 41-year history that all the speeches have been made by women holding these important ambassadorial and trade roles.
Amelia Aragón
Amelia Aragón’s story is rooted in rural life, as she was born in the small village of Quintana del Pidio (Burgos), near Aranda de Duero, surrounded by old vines.
After initially studying Business and Economics, the pull of the vineyard proved hard to resist. A Master’s in Viticulture and Oenology was followed by a move to the UK, where she first joined Oddbins. Having arrived with more enthusiasm than English, she quickly found that taking delivery addresses over the phone can be more challenging than you might expect! Despite those early challenges, her resilience, warmth and unmistakable energy quickly set her apart.
She later joined the export team at Cillar de Silos, an estate set up by her family in the 1990s, where she works alongside her brothers Roberto and Óscar. Amelia has built her a career across international markets, with her success grounded in deep technical knowledge and a clear understanding of the human side of wine: relationships, storytelling and shared experiences.
Today, resident in London, she is a familiar figure in the UK trade, described as “championing Spanish wine with generosity, passion and conviction” in the welcome speech.
Rafael Palacios
Born into the Palacios dynasty in Rioja, Rafael grew up surrounded by wine. But early on, the curiosity of the family’s youngest son took him beyond Spain: first to Bordeaux, and then to Australia, where a lasting fascination with white winemaking was born.
That fascination returned with him to Spain, where he developed Palacios Remondo’s first white wine, Placet, a fine wine which showed the potential of white Rioja.
Before long, however, a desire to find his own path led him to the old vines of a remote corner of Galicia, where he set up his eponymous winery in Valdeorras.
Over the past 22 years he has been instrumental in redefining the potential of Spain’s Godello grape variety, producing wines of outstanding precision and character, and earning international acclaim.
Josep Roca
Josep’s family was also intimately related with wine, but in this case, selling it in their bar-restaurant in Girona. Spending time between the cellar and the tables, Josep soon showed an innate understanding of how wine, food and people come together.
He studied alongside his brother Joan at The Girona Catering School, before the duo set up El Celler de Can Roca in 1964. Together with their younger brother, Jordi, the siblings have built one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, which was awarded its third Michelin star in 2009.
In charge of the “liquid” side of their offering, Josep has also shared this passion internationally, travelling with a team of over 40 people for three years to promote Spain’s gastronomy and wines while embracing different cultures. He has used his skills as a communicator to elevate the art of service and inspire generations through his passion for wine.
Josep was unable to attend the investiture dinner in person but shared his gratitude through a video acceptance message.
In welcoming the guests, Chairman of the Gran Orden, Sarah Jane Evans MW, offered her congratulations to all three new Caballeros, commenting, “We are truly delighted to welcome you into the Gran Orden.”