Canary Islands (Islas Canarias) is an archipelago in the Atlantic ocean 110 km from the coast of Morocco. Is one of the 17 Autonomous communities of Spain and the eponymous appellation Islas Canarias DO (Denominacion de Origen).
Its wines, to put it mildly, not well-known. A very small part of the local wine leaves Kanarev. However, the local wine industry is a very curious phenomenon. At least space types of vineyards.
Volcanic vineyards of Lanzarote
Spectacular Canary Islands situated on the line 28°N (North latitude) is the most tropical area of European wine.
In the early 15th century, once under Spanish rule, and at a busy crossroads, the wine of the Canary Islands took was a spirited start. The local sweet wine Malmsey from the Malvasia has become incredibly popular with British, Dutch and Germans. But not for long.
Today, wines almost never leave their Islands. It themselves people of the Canary Islands and many tourists, so the export is not remains.
In the 1990’s, 10 zones received the status of DO in island of the appellation:
The Canary Islands attract people beaches, sun and Golf courses. Golden sand dunes, razor-sharp rocks and seemingly endless coastline. About the local wine, few people think. Not yet coming.
Lanzarote (Lanzarote) anyone will strike a fantastic lunar landscapes of their volcanic vineyards:
Although in theory the hot and humid tropical climate of the Canary Islands is not particularly good for technical viticulture (i.e., yields, wine quality). In fact, there are making wine from a variety of heat-loving fruits, including bananas.
However, individual areas with its specific topography and mesoclimate are quite suitable for the purpose of winemaking. Stone terraces of the vineyards are located mainly at altitudes of 500-1000 m above sea level.m. and some above. This is a fundamental point, since the berries are able to preserve the freshness and good acidity.
The second important point – the soil. In the Canary vineyards they are mostly of volcanic origin, ensuring the vines of the food to give a subtle mineral character to the wines, which otherwise would be fatty and not as flavorful.
There are almost no international grape varieties, but local – a whole flock: listán Blanco (Listan Blanco, aka Palomino), Malvasia of mamajuana (Marmajuelo), listan Negro (Listan Negro), tintilla (Tintilla) are just some of the island allowed to DO.
Local varieties are well adapted to subtropical conditions and give a wort of high sugar content – that’s why the local wine industry has historically gravitated toward sweet wines and quite meet the high expectations of the customers.
It turns out that the local conditions are quite favor the production of quality wines. The more that demonic phylloxera that devastated the vineyards of mainland in the second half of the 19th century, here and not there. Therefore, the island has many old vines, and all in their native roots.
The largest of the Canary Islands – Tenerife – focused on half of the regional appellation: Abona, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Valle de Guimar, Valle de la Orotava and Ycoden-Daute-Isora.
The rest went to other Islands. Each with their own unique microclimate, but unites all the characteristic minerality of wines, surprising for such a hot location.
Source: portal Wine-Searcher /Jan. 2019
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