Enthralling Canary Island Red and White from $52
Suertes del Marques
This red and white are both sensational in quality and interest and are also rich in history. The style of these is like high class Etna, a pinch of Barolo and a good dose of Burgundy and a dollop of Rioja. I can't wait to take them home to decant and savour them over a meal of char-grilled (Hibachi) seafood and lamb. Watching them unfurl will be very enjoyable and enlightening! Cheers, Randall.
“The wines from Suertes del Marques prompted me to write this article about wines from the Canary Islands, as I was excited with their marked personality... Their philosophy is to intervene as little as possible, ferment in cement vats with natural yeasts, age in 500-liter barrels (and bigger volumes in the future), and use as little sulphur as possible, respecting the wine and the terroir.” Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Sandwiched between the snow-capped Mount Teide and the Atlantic Ocean, the setting of the Suertes del Marqués vineyards is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular you will encounter. The steep volcanic vineyards themselves, blanketed by the ancient, indigenous varieties of the Canary Islands (many of the oldest vines are aged well over 100 years), are just as spectacular. The vines are managed using Tenerife’s unique, braided trellising system where multiple canes are literally plaited together to form long, twisted tentacles that can extend a spectacular 10 metres from the main trunk - see below!
Winemaker Jonatan García has been described by Jane Anson (famous wine author and commentator) as “…a man who has made the wines of Tenerife part of the late-night conversation of sommeliers worldwide.” García has a fondness for the great wines of Northern Europe and over the years the vineyard has been arranged according to Burgundy’s model, so alongside the 'village' blends from multiple parcels, there is an exciting range of single-vineyard 'cru' wines. The growing and winemaking practices too, are hardly distinguishable from those employed by the most forward-thinking Burgundians: low-input organic viticulture (zero herbicides or other systemic treatments), cultivation by hand, the use of native yeasts, and no fining or filtration.
As such, the wines are clear and precise, mineral and flavour laden wines
As such, the wines are clear and precise, mineral and flavour laden wines
These wines are expected in store next week!
Suertes del Marqués 2021 Tenerife Valle de la Orotava Trenzado Blanco
RRP: $68 | Offer: $58!
This charged, fuzzy/tangy, textural white takes its name from a trellis system unique to the Canary Islands and known locally as el cordón trenzado (the braided cord). This type of trellising results in a plaited cordon with several of a single vine’s branches braided together. It’s a blend of Listán Blanco, Gual, Marmajuelo, Torrontes, Albillo Criollo, Vijariego Blanco and Verdelho from high-altitude vineyards. All the grapes are hand-harvested and the wine is vinified and raised in large oak ovals for nine months on lees before bottling. This wine is both seductive and pure with saline/mineral notes alongside fresh citrus, some grilled nuts and a flicker of smoke and flint. It’s fine-boned with a dense core of juicy and fleshy weight, framed by athletic composition and a very lengthy close.
Suertes del Marqués 2020 Tenerife Valle de la Orotava La Solana Tinto
RRP: $62 | Offer: $52!
The 1.5ha east-facing La Solana vineyard is mainly planted to old vine Listán Negro, towering over the Atlantic between 350 and 450 meters above sea level. The soils here, a layer of clay over volcanic rock, produce probably the most textural and fruit-forward of Suertes’ wines, the distinctive mineral impact from the 80 to 150-year-old vines and the pure volcanic soils always present and correct. The fruit is vatted into small, open concrete tanks for a cold soak before vinification is done in seasoned French oak. Like all the wines here, La Solana is bottled without filtration. It is worth noting that this bottling is indicative of the purer, more mineral style that now emanates from the Suertes’ cellar.
“The 2020 La Solana was picked earlier than ever (July 26th!!), but the wine has less alcohol than ever, too (12%). It matured exclusively in 500-liter oak barrels (no 2,500-liter foudres this time). This seems to have more complexity and depth here; it combines the subtle minerality and the juice, flowers and spices. It's juicy and round, very tasty and balanced. There are 8,000 bottles of this.” 94pts! - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
“The 2020 La Solana was picked earlier than ever (July 26th!!), but the wine has less alcohol than ever, too (12%). It matured exclusively in 500-liter oak barrels (no 2,500-liter foudres this time). This seems to have more complexity and depth here; it combines the subtle minerality and the juice, flowers and spices. It's juicy and round, very tasty and balanced. There are 8,000 bottles of this.” 94pts! - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate