Canary Island Wines: Land of Ash and Vine

The Spanish Canary Islands is a chain of seven volcanic islands off the western coast of Africa. These islands represent an extraordinary place on earth where the natural elements of water, earth, air, and fire converge. These Islands have endured the ravages of volcanic eruptions and droughts to create a landscape which produces some of the most unique and extraordinary wines.

We began our journey in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, visiting Mount Teide, an active volcano that last erupted in 1909. Our adventure continued with a short flight to Lanzarote, an island renowned for its lunar-like landscape, and covers about one-third of its terrain. Notably, the relentless North African tradewinds create a dry, arid, and inhospitable environment.

The indigenous grapes grown in this lava and ash rich soil produce wines that can be best described as complex, smoky, salty and mineral rich. The vines are protected from the relentless North African Tradewinds by a low, semi-circular wall made from volcanic rocks. The wine production on these volcanic islands is low in volume, as the large craters typically house only one vine.

The wines produced on the island are typically consumed locally and rarely make it off the islands. Thinking we were clever, we planned to ship the wines to Madrid, our final destination, and buy a suitcase there. However, we soon discovered that there is no infrastructure in place for shipping wines.

With a bit of sleuthing, you can locate these gem Canarian wines in the U.S.. The first is Tajinaste Blanco, produced on the island of Tenerife. Tajinaste Blanco blends native grapes grown only in the Canary Islands. Listán Blanco (the same grape as Palomino, used in Sherry production) and Albillo Criollo, which adds a fresh burst of acidity. The grapes are handpicked and transported back to the winery in small boxes to avoid damaging the grapes. These wines are easy-going, offering a dose of ocean brine, lots of citrus and tropical fruits (like pineapple), and a creamy, round finish.

The second wine is Los Bermejo from the Canary Island of Lanzarote. The wine is 100% Listán Negro a signature grape truly native to the Canary Islands. Growing conditions here are extreme with one-third of the island of  being covered by petrified volcanic rock. All the vineyard work is done meticulously by hand. The yield is very small and some of the fruit is purchased elsewhere on the island to produce financially sustainable quantities.  You can expect an enjoyable fruit forward wine with lots of deep red raspberry, strawberries, and soft tannins, reminiscent of Beaujolais.