George Washington preferred this drink to American beer. Shakespeare wrote of these wines. These 200 year old own-rooted vines have stood the test of time, while the rest of the world ripped up and replanted.

Its highest altitude vineyard happens to be the highest in Europe. And while these are some of Europe's most extraordinary wines, this island is technically 5 times closer to Africa...

Tenerife might just be the most interesting wine region in the world.

In Tenerife, a passport of varietals are living a distinct island life: there's jungle and volcano alongside desert and beach, all terroirs which have been under vine since the 18th century. Old vines carry power from the warm sun, but complexity is driven by coastal salinity and a consistent fog which preserves low pH.

300 years at the crosshair of global trade informs what is grown here: Palomino from Jerez, País from Chile (or California), Alfrocheiro from Portugal, Sumoll from Penedès, and countless others that once upon a time traveled from countries who discarded them during the phylloxera crisis.

It would be a shame to lump the most distinct wines being made here into a broader Canary Island conversation–they are far too individual. Tenerife is the Canary Island’s largest and most productive wine producing island, home to 5 diverse DOs ranging from steeply terraced vineyards planted in sandy soil to dense green stretches where vines grow as large as trees.leona

So let's go down the rabbit hole together: here are the places and people who are defining Tenerife.

EXPLORE BY DO

VALLE DE LA OROTAVA
Located on the north-central part of the island, the wine produced here eschews over-extraction in favor of great delicacy and chalkiness. The vines are trained with the traditional and visually stunning cordón trenzado system, in which canes are braided several meters long to elevate the fruit and improve airflow.

Highly recommend thorough exploration of this unique terroir: seek out Suerte de Marques (sadly out of stock right now!), all the Dolores Cabrera you can get your hands on, and Envinate's Palo Blanco.

An opposite to Orotava's humidity, ABONA on the south end of the island is very dry with high elevation (almost 5K ft in Vilaflor!). This newest DO is best known for its salty yet aromatic whites.

VALLEE DE GUIMAR, the central area of southern Tenerife, has most of its vineyards between 655-2,625 ft in elevation. The plots are very tiny, on average less than 1 ha per parcel. Truly site-specific wines to unpack if you are lucky enough to find them.

YCODEN-DAUTE-ISORA
In northwest Tenerife, vineyard sites range from low to high elevation (spanning 800-1,400m), but the entire zone is consistently lush and humid. The wines can be quite giving and textured.

It's well worth exploring Borja Perez’s full range, which is all from family plots in the DO. Envinate also has several parcels in this region, including for the Migan and Benje cuvees.

TÁGANAN is a remote vineyard area on the northeastern peninsula of Tenerife, in the national park of Anaga. Not technically a DO but rather an incredible site of interest: a sandy, jagged, volcanic area that sits right atop the ocean. Some the saltiest wines, most complex being made in the Canaries. This paradise is home to benchmark wines from Envinate and Sortevera.

TACORONTE-ACENTEJO is also located on the northeastern part of the island, where there is a great deal of history: this was the first DO established on the island in 1992. The largest of the five growing regions on the island, it is known for more humidity and milder temperatures.

Look out for a new wine from Envinate (La Santa), arriving with the 2021 vintage.

Growers To Know

ENVINATE
This group of inspired friends are chief among the top producers for putting Tenerife on the map for many wine lovers. The wines are from multiple sites and varietals but are made in visceral, highly hands-off methods across the board. We were honored to chat about it with Roberto Santana, who started this new wave of making wine here.

SORTEVERA
An exciting new project focused on the extreme landscape of Táganan, with bush pruning in full force.

The Tinto red blend impressively consists of: Vijariego Negro, Listan Gacho, Malvasia Rosada, Listan Negro, Negramoll and others–and captures the extreme intensity of the coast and volcanic soil.

DOLORES CABRERA

We’ve loved seeing the evolution of this grower from the Valle de la Orotava.
Vintages ago her wines were natural, feral bottlings, but she's dialed in a far more elegant style without losing the intensity of the Listan varietals she works with.

Fresh drop of Dolores' structured 'La Araucaria' Rosado from Listan Negro landing soon!

BORJA PEREZ
One of the most fascinating figures on the island, this 4th generation grower in Ycoden-Daute-Isora makes some of the most aromatically dizzying wines from a host of rarely seen varietals. Those labeled ‘Artífice’ are regional wines well worth exploring next to his single vineyard bottling.