Varieties Viñátigo
The Canary Islands possess a lot of different grapes and this could be one of the pillars for their future viticultural development. These grapes were brought from 1490 by different nations who tried to colonise the islands: Spain, but also Portugal, France and Italy; each one bringing its own grapes and cultivation methods. This makes the archipelago the fist “New World” vineyard in history. After the phylloxera, at the end of the 19th century, the European winegrowers had to replant their vineyards with plants that resisted to the disease - i.e. grafted on American plants. As a consequence, a lot of old varieties were not replanted and completely disappeared. But the disease did not reach the Canary Islands – it is one of the few regions that were not affected. Hence the large number of grapes still present on the islands (more than 80), all ungrafted. Some only exist there nowadays. Here are the main varieties. WHITE GRAPES: Listán blanco: the most common grape in the Canary Islands. It is very similar to the Palomino de Jerez. This very productive variety can still produce complex wines when planted at a higher altitude, and yield a nice acidity. But Viñatigo scarcely uses it at all. Malvasía: it is the most important grape of the islands, historically. This is the grape with which was made the famous «Canary wine», so popular in England from the 16th to the 18th century. This variety is similar to the Madeira version (Malmsey), or that of Sitges (confer Jané Ventura) or Lipari; it is also called Malvasía Candia. But it has nothing to do with the Riojan Malvasía, also to be found in other Spanish areas. The Lanzarote Malvasía (quite common on this island) is a crossing between Malvasía Candia and Marmajuelo. Malvasía Candia prefers low altitude vineyards, for it needs warmth. So it is mainly to be found below 300 m above sea level. Gual: a very delicate grape, especially during the ripening process. Only to be found on Madeira, Tenerife, El Hierro and La Palma. It is one of the white varieties with the best ageing potential. The wines that are made with it are rich in glycerol, full bodied but also contain whiskylactone, a molecule that can lead the taster to think the wine has been put in oak barrels. Since its growth cycle is short, Gual also prefer low altitude spots. It is an early grape, often harvested in August on the Canary Islands. Marmajuelo: only to be found on Tenerife and El Hierro; until now, no genetic link with any other variety has been found. Like the Gual, it is a short grape, so it is better suited to low altitude vineyards. Like the Gual, it yields powerful, well structured, ripe and complex wines that combine nice aromas and a high acidity. Vijariego blanco: the white grape with the highest acidity. This variety pefers higher altitudes because its cycle is long - it is always the last to be harvested. It is to mainly to be found on Tenerife and El Hierro. Its acidity and its aromatic character make it a grape well suited for barrel fermentation. RED GRAPES: Listán negro: the most common red grape on the islands. Both very resistant and very productive, it is similar to the Mission grape of California and the Criolla of Argentina. An easy grape to grow, it has been widely and intensively planted. Technically, however, it is not very interesting – light in colour and high in yield. But Viñatigo scarcely uses it at all. Negramoll: the second most planted red grape on the Canary Islands. It is genetically linked to the Catalan Sumoll (confer Jané Ventura). It is a very delicate variety, with a very irregular yield. Its tannins are often in an advanced state of polymerisation, soft and toffee-like, and this is why it is often used in blends, to soften the wine. Vijariego negro: this rare variety is only to be found in the Alpujarras, in Andalusia, the region it may well have come from. Its cycle is long and it is not too sensitive to cool temperatures, so it is mainly planted in altitude. The harvest is quite late: end of October, beginning of November. Its grapes are larger than most varieties but they do not lack subtlety. The wines made with this grape have a good acidity, soft and delicate tannins, with a good polymerisation potential. When they are well vinified and aged, they can even acquire some complexity. They often bring a nice red fruit bouquet, a touch of Burgundy. Tintilla: this rare varietal has nothing to do with the famous Tintilla de Rota, from Andalusia (a local version of Graciano). Its grapes and berries are very small; it does not yield much (never more than one kilo per plant). With its very long cycle, it grows better in altitude – more than 600 m high. It is harvested at the beginning of October. The wines that are made out of it have very good acidity and concentration, which is good for ageing, and notes of black fruit and chocolate. Baboso negro: the last varietal that Viñatigo has recuperated is also the most popular today amongst the Canarian producers, despite its low yield. It is mainly to be found on El Hierro, plus a few patches on Tenerife. It is genetically similar to the Portuguese Alfrocheiro Preto and the Castillan Bruñal, of the new D.O. Arribes. Having a very thin skin, it is the most delicate of all Canarian grapes. This is why it is mainly planted on the coastline; if the block of vine is higher in altitude, it has to face south, for Baboso does not like humidity. Its cycle is rather short; it is harvested at the beginning of September. It yields a good acidity and above all, a surprising concentration. The wines that are made out of it generally show black fruit notes and delicate tannins.