Over the past few years, a group of young winemakers and growers have begun to change our perception of Spanish wine. Although plenty of winemakers still put out heavily oaked, high-alcohol Rioja imitations, a few have turned their focus to a fresher, more terroir-reflective style with minimal intervention and indigenous varieties. Leading this small revolution is the intrepid winemaking collective Envínate (translation: wine yourself). These have quickly become some of the most revered, coveted, and outright delicious wines in Spain.
Today we're pleased to offer a small selection of Envínate's Canary Island wines.
Envínate actually isn't a single winemaker or estate, but rather a group of four friends who all met while studying enology at the University of Alicante. Together, they explore unique parcels of old vines around the country, with a particular focus on the Canary Islands and Ribeira Sacra. Working in collaboration with local farmers, they're shedding light on the parts of Spain that haven't always garnered critical attention but produce some of the most unique wines in the country.
The Envínate wines are completely unlike the Spanish wines most people are used to. These are brilliantly fresh wines with a tension and fruit purity that calls to mind Burgundy or the Jura. The Envinate gang refers to their wines as "Vinos Atlanticos," wines strongly influenced by the Atlantic ocean, and this is right on the money: yes, the classic Spanish richness of fruit is there, but it's backed by the briskness of a coastal breeze and the dark grip of volcanic soils.
We're offering four Canary Islands wines today, two red and two white, all hailing from the Taganana region in Tenerife's far northeastern corner. Now more popular with hikers than grape growers, this region has some of the oldest volcanic soils in the world. The vines range in age from 50 to over 120 years of age, and are tended to organically despite the region's extreme humidity. Only local varieties are used, including Listan Blanco, Gual, Listan Negro, and plenty that haven't even been identified. Winemaking is hands-off and emphasizes minerality over power: fermenting and aging in large, neutral wood for the whites, plenty of whole cluster and gentle extraction for the reds. The result is a serious sense of verve and balance that has turned these into easily the hottest wines in Spain right now. We have a very limited amount; these wines are hard to come by and only getting more so each year.
To order, please click here. Shipping and local delivery are available. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at (607) 319-0500 or reply to this email.
1) Envinate Taganan Blanco 2018 750ml – 6 bottles available
Sale Price: $34.99/btl!! BUY NOW
This cuvee is made from many different white grape varieties native to the Canary Islands, some of them unidentified, but include Listan Blanco, Albillo Criollo, Marmajuelo, Gual, and Malvasia. The parcels are very old and planted in between 75-300 meters elevation right on the Atlantic Ocean and are farmed by 15 different families and Envínate. The viticulture in the Taganan area of Tenerife is very old-fashioned: the vines grow untrained, the soil is worked by hand, and no chemicals are used. The wine is fermented with wild yeasts by parcel, with some parcels getting a bit of skin contact, and then raised on the lees in steel vats and barrels for around 8 months. This is an intense vino blanco with lots of personality and notes of nuts, smoke, and sea salt.
2) Envinate Palo Blanco 2018 750ml – 12 bottles available
Sale Price: $49.99/btl!! BUY NOW
This cuvee is sourced from a 1.5ha vineyard of centenarian cordon trenzado (braided vines) Listan Blanco at 600m elevation, and is named for the area where it’s planted. The grapes are hand-harvested, pressed full cluster into large concrete tank off the skins and fermented without malolactic occurring, then raised in two Friulian 2500L oval foudres for 10 months. Bottling is without fining or filtration. Palo Blanco is a volcanic island wine: high-toned, linear, saline and electric.
3) Envinate Taganan Tinto 2018 750ml – 6 bottles available
Sale Price: $34.99/btl!! BUY NOW
This cuvee is made from many different red grape varieties native to the Canary Islands, some of them unidentified, but include Listan Negro, Listan Gaucho, Malvasia Negro. The parcels are very old and planted in between 75-300 meters elevation right on the Atlantic Ocean and are farmed by 15 different families and Envínate. The viticulture in the Taganan area of Tenerife is very old-fashioned: the vines grow untrained, the soil is worked by hand, and no chemicals are used. The wine is wild yeast fermented with 30% whole grape clusters in open plastic tubs and concrete tanks; Raised in small tanks and used 225 and 500 liter barrels for around 8 months. This is a fresh and aromatic vino tinto with notes of spice, smoky minerals, and dark fruits.
4) Envinate Migan 2018 750ml - 12 bottles available
Sale Price: $49.99/btl!! BUY NOW
This cuvee is sourced from two very old parcels of cordon trenzado (braided vines) Listan Negro. 60% comes from the La Habanera plot on volcanic sand at the highest elevation (600m) in the area, and 40% comes from the older San Antonio plot, lower on the slope (350m) and with more clay. The plots were hand-harvested, foot-trodden and fermented separately (La Habanera with 100% whole clusters, San Antonio 15% whole cluster) in large concrete vats, then into 228 & 600L old French barrels for malolactic and aging for 11 months. Bottling is without fining or filtration. Migan is a volcanic mountain wine, high-toned and vibrant, with smoky strawberry fruit balanced with fine tannins and refreshing acidity.
To order, please click here. Shipping and local delivery are available. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at (607) 319-0500 or reply to this email. |
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