Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Tenerife, island of wines
Surprisingly for me I have found that mini-continent in the Canary island of Tenerife lies a treasure trove wine, five different designations of origin (DO Tacoronte-Acentejo, DO Ycod-Daute-Isora, DO Valle de Güimar, DO Abona, DO Valle de la Orotava) make this land of wine, with different climates and terroirs, white and red varieties, most of them native to produce excellent wines and have been fortunate to taste, many of the wineries I've visited.
The islands group is located in the Atlantic northwest coast of Africa, are volcanic islands, the climate is subtropical, but varies locally depending on altitude and slope north and south. This variability leads to biological diversity, along with the rich landscape and geology make finding different terroirs and adaptability of the vines and produce different wines in each area.
Tenerife is the largest island and relief, known as the island of 'eternal spring' has different types of soils and climates, Spain's highest peak is Mount Teide, 3,718 meters above sea level, a large emerging volcano in the center of the island and the formation of this natural area so special.
The cultivation of vines in the archipelago, especially in Tenerife was founded after the conquest, when settlers brought vine varieties and prove the nobility acquired Canarian wines. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the wine reaches a large weight in the economy of Tenerife for many families who were engaged in cultivation and subsequent business. Deserves special mention Canary Malvasía, which came to be considered the best wine in the world and was coveted by European courts and the largest wineries in Europe and America. The island currently has five denominations of origin: Abona, Valle de Guimar, Valle de LaOrotava, Tacoronte-Acentejo and Ycod-Daute-Isora.
The different denominations of origin are distributed in the north of the island as Valle de La Orotava, Tacoronte-Acentejo and Ycod-Daute-Isora, more fertile areas with richer soils and more humid weather due to moisture Northwest winds laden with moisture, called trade winds, which at different heights of the island, make the cultivation of the vine as possible and get good yields, but with a rather long cycle crops. DO Valle de Güimar is located in the east of the island, with a drier climate and terroir called 'jable', a sandstone from volcanic ash rather poor but suitable for cultivation of certain varieties, in areas near to the coast, all white, and also influenced by the trade winds in high soil is clay loam and plantations can be found up to 1,500 meters. The area south of the island, belonging to the DO Abona, with a climate similar to Mediterranean floors 'jable' is also quite complicated for growing grapes, but as the altitude and the interior of the zone, soil become more clay and gives good yields and outstanding quality, even for altitudes above 1,000 meters.
Concerning grape varieties, there are over 20 varieties, registered and indigenous to the island such as Listán Blanco y Listán Negro, Malvasia, Gual, Marmajuelo, Vijariego, Baboso Negro, Negramoll, Muscat, Tintilla, Verdello .. . with differences depending on the area, mentioning that the traditional vine crops using a kind of twisted vines in traditional allowing the plant to grow in a 'parralito' and spreading the floor with a shaped beam hairpin, there are also glass and trellis plantings.
The wines are quite different from one area to the other, predominantly white semi-sweet, dry and natural sweet wines, especially white-headed duck, delicious, fruity, are also pink and red traditional Listán Negro, youth and fruity, carbonic maceration wines also is common to find some wineries. Rearing of wines are quite short (between 1 and 4 months) and give it to the wine a touch of wood, but without losing the fruit, for me the success of these fabulous wines.
Apart from the wineries that produce bottled wines, is also typical in the north of the island, many farmers prepare their wine for own consumption or to be enjoyed in the garages of the houses along typical Canarian food, it's called guachinche, and end the day with some tapas and a fourth home canary wine is quite picturesque and traditional.
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