A new take on Tenerife 🌋

09/09/24
Last Friday night we had the pleasure of hosting our friend Ariana Rolich on Fulton St (below), pouring her newest import from the Canary Islands: AMBORA. 
From a unique spot on the northern end of Tenerife, Ambora is making especially elegant expressions of Canary Island wine that manage to stand out in the region’s already incredibly specific terroir.

Ambora is the work of 4th gen grower Felipe Hernandez González, who’s transformed his family’s tiny 2 hectares from bulk wine sale into one of the island’s most intriguing new entries (with a production of about 5K bottles/vintage).
He’s located in Tegueste, a small village in Tenerife’s northeastern DO Tacoronte-Acentejo (peek here for a refresher on the island’s regions).
 
The larger area here is sweeping, and historic: Tacoronte-Acentejo is the largest growing region, and the first DO (est. 1992). But, Tegueste is a special spot, tucked into a valley on the edge of Tenerife’s oldest volcanic mountain range, Anaga Massif.
Here, own-rooted vines are planted in particularly ancient volcanic sandy loam. On top of that, Felipe’s winemaking is a graceful, low-intervention style: hand harvesting, native yeast fermentations in used barrel and stainless steel, light maceration on the reds, no filtration.
 
And, some epically old vines (see cuvées below) of Listán Negro, Negramoll, and Listán Blanco; which are blended with lesser-known varietals to soften corners and push a lot of the island’s characteristic reduction to the side.
   
As a result, the wines walk a delicate line between channeling the raw power of Tenerife’s volcanic terroir; while articulating the delicate nuance of the island’s native grapes. Silky, electric, volcanic wine.
2021 Ambora 'El Roquillo' Blanco $33
80-120 year old vines, mainly Listán Blanco and Gual, with a touch of Marmajuelo and Malvasia. Hand harvested, pressed into stainless steel and natively fermented in used 500L barrel, then aged 9 months on the lees; no filtration. With only 600 bottles produced, it’s of the more elegant new whites we've seen from Tenerife, a really pretty balance of Listán Blanco's minerality and Gual's spicy flair.
  
2022 Ambora 'Villa de Tegueste' Tinto $28
60-80+ year old vines. A traditional co-ferment from Tegueste, grown and vinified together: mainly Listán Negro, Negramoll and Listán Blanco, with a touch of Gual, Marmajuelo, and Malvasia. Hand harvested, macerated with 30% whole cluster inclusion for 5-6 days and natively fermented in stainless steel. Pressed and aged for 9 months in stainless steel tank, no filtration, 2,000 bottles produced. The Negramoll and native white varieties soften the more angular Listán Negri, giving breathing room to savory, forest-driven aromatics (and a touch of spice).
  
 
MORE CANARY ISLANDS!
VICTORIA TORRES
On the western edge of the Canary Islands is La Palma, a wind-whipped island with extreme terrain and climate. For the decade following her father's death, Victoria Torres Pecis has (pretty much solo!) maintained her family's vineyards and restored more local vineyard sites. Through natural winemaking (and incredible tenacity), she's making some of the Canary Islands' most intense, expressive wine. These special wines are online and on Fulton, very limited. SHOP
 
SHOP ALL CANARY ISLANDS