It’s hard not to be seduced by this winery that has been in the same family for five generations. Today, Catherine, the only child and owner of the winery grows the typical grape varitals of the Canary Islands – Nistan Negro, Negra Moll, Malvasia, and Listan Blanco. 

The production is relatively small with 2700 bottles a year from 2,5 hectare. This means the bottles are only found in some of the local restaurants around the island, and, of course, in the bodega. The main wine on offer is a young red, aged one year in stainless steel tanks with 85% Listan Negro and 15% Negra moll. However, a small production, 300 bottles a year, of red, aged in french oak barrels, can, with some luck, also be bought at the bodega. Actually, to be honest, I managed to buy the last bottle today. At any rate, a new production of this 100% Listan Negra wine will be available in the future.

The terroir is dry, windy, and with volcanic soil, 500 meters above sea level. It’s definitely possible to smell the sunburned plants in the air when strolling around on the property. The production is ecological and what really surprised me is that the vines are not watered. Maria, the guide, explained that the top layer of the volcanic soil actually isolates the soil further down so it stays moist. Obviously the grapes would be larger if the vines got additional water but it would also compromise the quality of the wines. The ecological approach means that only sulfate is added in order to preserve the wines. 

Some fun facts about the winary:

• A scene from the movie “4 Lates” was recorded here. In the scene Jean Reno can be obseverd savoring the canarian wine in the finca’s patio.
• Maria showed me a picture of Agatha Christie strolling around on the winary. Apparatly she came here because she was suffering from depression, and her doctor adviced her to travel to Gran Canaria to let the favorable climate, and, as it seems, the wines cure her.
• The winary has two macots; one chocolate labrador named Gofio, he likes to bark when he feels happy. And the other mascote, a donkey, he is wiggeling a bit, and no one told me his name so I decied to give him a nick name – Sideways.

Sideways

The overall experience of this winery is very good. Maria is a passionate guide and it’s a pleasure to learn about everything from the production of the wines to the history of the winery. The tasting at the end of the tour contains of two different wines – the young red from the winery, and also a white semi-seco from Frontón de Oro, another winery from the same denominacion. The cheese paired with the wine, on the tasting, is a canarian cheese which is a mix of cow- and goat milk. It’s semi-cured cheese which won a bronze medal in the world cheese award 2021.

Cheers,

Gustaf