Viñátigo Listán Blanco de Canarias 2020

The volcanic wines of the Canary Islands might be Spain’s best kept secret. Colonized by the Spanish in 1483, the territory is an archipelago of seven islands off the coast of southern Morocco. Tenerife, with roughly 7200 hectares under vine, is the largest wine producing island.

Juan Jesús Méndez is a fourth generation grower who crafts wine from his vineyards, Bodegas Viñátigo, in the north-west part of Tenerife. He is known as a viticultural hero on the island for his work researching and preserving the island’s traditional grape varieties. His vineyards sit at elevations from 500 to 700 metres. The excellent sun-exposure, trade winds off the Atlantic, and the mineral-rich volcanic soils make vibrant wines of impressive complexity.

Originally brought by Spanish and Portuguese settlers from the peninsula, Listán Blanco is one of the most common grapes on the island. In fact, it is the same grape used to make sherry wines in Andalucía (where they call it Palomino Fino). In this Listán Blanco wine, you will taste the exotic island terroir in every sip, and the delightful salty, minerally flavours, together with those of fine herbs and lemon zest linger on the long finish, and will leave you wanting more.

A limited number of bottles are still available online only at the LCBO - $24.30