DINE&WINE
CHEERS FROM TENERIFE “Volcanic” wine that conquered royal courts I n his plays – whether Henry IV, The Merry Wives of Windsor or Twelfth Night – William Shake- speare was able, through seem- ingly incidental references, to the beautiful islands of the archipela- go, Tenerife stands out as the largest among them, with a landscape dominat- ed by the volcano Mount Teide, which represents a symbol of the indomita- ble power of nature and is to “blame” for the unique landscape and fertile volcan- ic soil that will forever define the island’s identity. The wine route was, however, established much earlier. Sugarcane had been the Canary Is-
level, ranking them among the highest vineyards in Europe. The greatest peculiarity of this land- scape, however, isn’t that which is visi- ble, but what lurks beneath the surface. The porous volcanic rock absorbs rain and moisture, only to release it gradual- ly during long, sunny days. This ensures that the vines develop deep roots, grow more slowly and produce fewer grapes, with each bunch ripening slowly, devel- oping a richness of aromas and natural freshness. Adding to the uniqueness are autochthonous varieties which – thanks to the isolated position of the Canary Islands – have been preserved for cen- turies. The standouts among them are Malvasía Aromatica, which produces dry, semi-dry and naturally sweet wines, and Listán Negro, the most widespread red variety on the island. Four centuries after Shakespeare mentioned it in his plays, the wine of Tenerife continues to attract the atten- tion of the wine world. Its tradition is today preserved by 20 family winer- ies, each nurturing the archipelago’s rich viticulture heritage in its own way. Their goal isn’t to create wines that are similar to those of France or Italy, but to preserve everything that has always made Canarian wine special: the au- thentic expression of a volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic.
reveal the personalities of his charac- ters and the spirit of the times in which they lived. At a time when the court of Queen Elizabeth I set European stand- ards of prestige, fashion and good taste, so-called “Canary wine” already held a special place among the English aristoc- racy. It is therefore to be expected that Shakespeare would have mentioned it in his works, though he used the term “Ca- nary sack” (sack was an Elizabethan ge- neric term for strong, sweet, white forti- fied wines imported from Spain and the Canary Islands). However, that wine’s story didn’t begin in London, but more than 3,500 kilometres to the south, on an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean. At that time of great geographi- cal discovery, during the 16 th century, the Canary Islands became an essential port of call on maritime routes between Europe and the New World. Under the control of the Spanish Crown, the archi- pelago was home to mariners, traders, winegrowers and descendants of the in- digenous Guanche people. A mild cli- mate and winds blowing off the Atlantic created ideal conditions for life. Among
lands’ main export product during the late 15 th and early 16 th centuries, but that influence waned with the develop- ment of sugar plantations in the New World. This prompted many landowners to turn to grapevines, which was a cul- ture already well known to settlers from Spain, Portugal and Madeira. However, no one could have guessed that Tener- fie’s seemingly harsh volcanic landscape would become its greatest ally. Unlike the vineyards of Tusca- ny or Bordeaux, the vines of Tener- ife grow from black volcanic soil, creat- ing an otherworldly scene. The contrast between intense green vines and al- most black volcanic soil more resem- bles a carefully considered colour pal- ette for a new haute couture collection than a scene fashioned by nature. In some parts of the island, vineyards are located almost on the coast itself, while others climb to 1,500 metres above sea
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