(2024) This is blend of Syrah, Grenache and old vine Carignan (more than 90 years old) grown on the schist soils of the historic Faugères appellation in the South of France. It's a darkly-hued but spicy and floral wine, but there's a liquorice and ash sense of terroir coming through the black fruit of its core. In the mouth that spiciness continues, and there's rustic grip to this that feels authentic and tastes delicious. It doesn't lack for supple fruit, or acid and tannin framework around it. Watch the video for more information and food matching ideas.
(2024) A delightful Malvasía Volcánica from Bodegas Vulcano's volcanic soils, this showed glimpses of those flinty nuances, but was mostly about dazzling fresh and mouth-watering fruit, somewhere between orange and lemon, with real juiciness. There are also floral notes and fresh, grassy herbs on the palate, adding to the sense of sheerness and energy here.
(2024) A wine that seems widely distributed in the island's restaurants, and one of very good quality. It is made from the Malvasia Volcanica variety, a crossing of Marmajuelo (an indigenous white grape) and Malvasía Aromatica. Fresh and peachy on the nose, there's plenty citrus and a whiff of ozone. Mostly driven by fruit, there is a little hint of the delicate flint and smoke of its volcanic origins, in a stylish and always enjoyable wine. The stockist listed will ship to the UK.
(2024) 'Manto' is a special cuvée from Bodega La Geria, a selection of the best fruit fermented in steel with wild yeasts. This is amongst the most linear expressions of Malvasía Volcánica in my tasting, 12.5% alcohol and despite a couple of grams of residual sugar, an uncompromisingly dry style. It's all about the focused salts and lemon of the fruit and acidity. I enjoyed the bracing style of this, but felt it needed just a touch more fruit to ease the rather steely personality.
(2024) Malvasía Volcánica from selected growers, inoculated with yeasts selected from their vineyards. Some ageing on lees. This has a brightness and jasmine-like floral intensity that is very attractive. Plenty of peachy, juicy fruit aromas in a wine that is rather more fruit-forward than mineral, and yet on the palate the sweet juiciness is tempered by a lively acidity that gives it real zing.
(2024) From the first Malvasía Volcánica grapes planted specifically for the production of sparkling wines on the island, this is made using the traditional method spent 20 months on the lees in bottle. It has less than 1g/l of residual sugar. Fabulous waxy yellow apples on the nose, briny ozone and biscuity richness. The palate does not miss the sugar one little bit, having a fruit concentration and the driving force of the mineral acidity and a herbal streak. I thought this was different and delicious.
(2024) The first vintage from a very new bodega, and this one of only 800 bottles produced. Tenesar is an area on the western coast, the 100-year-old vineyard less than 2km from the sea. An early manual harvest results in alcohol of just 11.5%, softly pressed whole bunches then transferred to 500-litre barrels for eight months of aging plus time in concrete eggs. Fabulously pure and mineral, with a little sheen of almond and honey, presumably from the barrel, but the clarity and acid drive, the saline sweep of intensity, is what powers this energising wine.
(2024) Made from 100%, ungrafted old vine Malvasia Volcanica from the Las Palmeras vineyard, this is aged in French oak for four months resting on the lees. That certainly imparts a richness, a sheen of vanilla and almond, but the clear apricot, yellow apple and lemon fruit soon powers through. Texturally it has a little more weight too, but finally the oak seems to float away in the expected fruit and light saline character of the grape variety. It's interesting to taste barrel-aged Malvasia Volcanica, and though very good indeed, the argument for it doesn't seem compelling.
(2024) This is 100% Malvasia Volcanica from ungrafted centennial vines planted 300 metres above sea level, the wine fermented with indigenous yeasts. It sees no oak, but spends 18 months on the lees. A deep, yellow to gold colour, aromas are creamy, with yellow apple and straw, a hint of buttered toast but there's a wheat beer nuance here too. In the mouth it is really very vivacious: a bursting, nectarine ripeness and generous lime acidity drive the wine, tangy with flinty overtones emerging. Note there was some yeast sediment in my bottle, a by-product of the unflitered, unfined and natural. If you see this, the idea might be to shake the bottle to distribute it. Only 1,200 bottles produced.
(2024) Hand-harvested, organic Malvasia Volcanica from a single vineyard parcel. Spontaneous fermentation followed by 12 months on the lees and "very ittle added sulphur." The hand written front and rear labels declare that my bottle was number 950 of 1092. Young Tenerife winemaker Pablo Matallana has produced a natural wine, hazy and buttercup yellow, it has yeast, floral and soft, leafy herb aromas with golden yellow apple. A touch of kaolin clay. The palate has texture and lots of salty, mineral intensity. The fat, limey fruit almost touches on peach, but then the saline core pushes through to a long, mineral finish.
