2 products
2 products
- Carricante, Nerello Mascalese
- Sustainable, Volcanic
- Dry
- 750ml
About the Winery
Azienda Agricola Tornatore
Out of a Sicilian family heritage that traces back to the 17th century, the Tornatore’s Mount Etna wine ventures began in 1865. Today the family’s operations are headed by Giuseppe Tornatore, a businessman whose expertise led to the acquisition of some of the region’s finest north-facing vineyards in the early 2000’s. That heritage and the Tornatore’s profound respect and understanding of the land is showcased in wines that capture the essence of Etna, deftly balancing concentrated flavors, complexity, freshness and refinement.
The company lies in the northern side of Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. The soils have volcanic origin and were created through the disintegration of lava, ash and stones from previous volcanic eruptions. The climate on the northern side of the Etna is characterized by mild temperatures, and more rain fall reflecting the influence of the Volcano. The combination of soil, climate and the skill of the winemakers, have made the northern slope of Etna an ideal area for the production of high-quality wines. “Our vineyards and our winery are only a few kilometers from our family home. Our entire family is rooted there. We have the greatest respect for this region, and we believe we have a responsibility to be stewards of Etna and to reflect its distinct character in our wines.” - Giuseppe Tornatore
Press Reviews
Wine Enthusiast - Etna Rosso 2017
93 points
Aromas of red berry, rose, thyme and a whiff of camphor shape the fragrant nose. Sleek and graceful, the lithe, savory palate delivers juicy strawberry, crushed raspberry, Mediterranean herbs and white pepper framed in glossy tannins and fresh acidity. A mineral note evoking smoky flint lingers on the finish.
Decanter - Etna Bianco 2019
91 points
Made from 100% Carricante, with fine balance between minerality and fruit and hints of sweetness; full of white peaches, balsamic herbs and a refreshing citrus finale. A nicely direct wine. Drinking Window 2019 - 2024
- White Wine
- Listán Blanco
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% alc./vol
Viñátigo 'Parcelarios' Mixed Case
Canary Islands, Spain
Regular price
$378.70per case6 bottles per case
Mineral & Vibrant
Juan Jesús, who is a 4th generation winemaker, founded Viñátigo in 1990 and has worked tirelessly since then identifying, recuperating the native grapes of the Canary Islands. Today, his son Jorge is slowly taking over the viticulture and winemaking of Viñátigo, and is focusing on crafting wines from exceptional micro-vineyards in the north-face of Tenerife. Before settling down in his home-island, Jorge worked alongside great international winemakers in Chile, Argentina and Burgundy.
This Mixed Case includes 3 bottles of each wine.
3 bottles x Viñátigo Vino de Parcela Lomo de La Era 2022
The Lomo de la Era vineyard is situated in the Paraje de la Cruz Santa, located on the west side of La Orotava valley. The vines are trained in the traditional cordon trenzado system, and can extend up to five meters long. At an altitude of 500 meters above sea level, the site benefits from the direct influence of the trade winds that arrive from the North Atlantic.
Five hundred thousand years ago, the collapse of the Cañadas Edifice caused a gravitational landslide that created La Orotava valley. The west side of the valley is well known for producing great white wines, due to presence of stonier soils than those in the central and eastern parts of the valley.
Pre-fermentative oxidation. Not controlled-temperature fermentation. Fermented and aged for nine months in amphora. No racking.
Lomo de la Era is very dry and textured with dusty salinity, vibrant fruits, with a honeyed character, and a little aromatic blast of its volcanic origins.
3 bottles x Viñátigo Vino de Parcela Camino de La Peña 2022An island within an island, Paraje La Peña is situated in the highlands of Icod de los Vinos, nestled in a narrow ravine formed by the volcanic eruptions of Mount Teide to the north over the last two thousand years.
For over thirty years, Viñátigo has cultivated this isolated vineyard, protected from the rest of the island by a dense, green pine forest. The vines, trained in parrales, cling to the volcanic walls of the ravine. This training method, a direct influence of the Portuguese settlers who established themselves in the northeastern part of Tenerife in the 16th century, serves as a testament to the region's rich cultural heritage.
At about 450 meters above sea level and with direct exposure to the trade winds, this wine offers surprising freshness and acidity.
Pre-fermentative oxidation. Not controlled-temperature fermentation. Fermented and aged in amphora. All the whites age statically. No batonnage. Barely no racking at all.
Yellow fruit, plums and peach, and a gentle and polished palate with soft acidity and a bitter twist in the finish. This wine has tonnes of tahini, almond paste, smoked sea salt and pine. Tight on the nose explosive on palate with a slight burgundy feeling.
About the Winery
Viñátigo
Juan Jesús is a proud native of Tenerife and the fourth generation of growers. During the thirty years that he's overseen Bodegas Viñátigo, he has considerably increased its holdings, planting varieties that he and his team recuperated from near extinction.
Driven by passion and love for his homeland, Juan decided to revive and work to save the native grape varieties that were brought to the Canary Islands by the conquers back in the 15th century and that had survived on the islands for centuries. He is a hero of contemporary Canarian viticulture. The wealth of knowledge that his work has created has helped underpin the significant expansion of wine styles that are now available throughout the archipelago, and his wines have achieved a calibre of class that many doubted the Canaries would ever produce again. (The Epic Wines of the Canary Islands, written by Santo Bains).
Press Reviews
Robert Parker
93 points
The 2022 Lomo de la Era, another of the new single-vineyard certified wines from the DOP Islas Canarias, Tenerife appellation, was produced with Listán Blanco grapes, in this case from a cordón trenzado plot of vines in the western part of the Orotava Valley on sandy, silty and basalt soils. The juice from the pressing with part of the stems was let to settle and fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete, where the wine matured with static lees (not stirred) for nine months. It has moderate ripeness and alcohol (12%) with a mixture of floral, fruit and soil notes and an austere palate with dusty minerality, vibrant and pungent flavors and a clean finish. 2,320 bottles were filled in July 2023.
Viñátigo, the project from Juan Jesús Méndez, was one of the pioneers of the local varieties in the Canary Islands, where he's been recovering forgotten varieties since 1990. He's now joined by his son Jorge, who is giving a more modern profile to the wines. In 2017, there was a new range of single-vineyard and lieu-dit wines that go one step beyond in 2022, with three new whites from the north of Tenerife. They are all produced with Listán Blanco from different zones and altitudes, climates and soils. They have 12 hectares of vines in the north and northeast of Tenerife, and their production averages 150,000 bottles per year.
Published: Nov 30, 2023
92 points
The 2022 Camino de La Peña is one of the new single-vineyard certified wines from the DOP Islas Canarias, Tenerife appellation. It was produced with Listán Blanco grapes from a plot of vines in Altos de Icod in the Icod Valley in the northeast of Tenerife and pruned in the traditional parral, or pergola, way on terraces on young volcanic (basalt) soils with sand and minerals. The juice from the pressing with part of the stems was let to settle and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, where the wine matured with static lees (not stirred) for nine months. Despite the moderate 12.7% alcohol, this has a riper nose than the other whites, with notes of yellow fruit, plums and peach, and a gentle and polished palate with soft acidity and a bitter twist in the finish. 2,835 bottles were filled in August 2023.
Viñátigo, the project from Juan Jesús Méndez, was one of the pioneers of the local varieties in the Canary Islands, where he's been recovering forgotten varieties since 1990. He's now joined by his son Jorge, who is giving a more modern profile to the wines. In 2017, there was a new range of single-vineyard and lieu-dit wines that go one step beyond in 2022, with three new whites from the north of Tenerife. They are all produced with Listán Blanco from different zones and altitudes, climates and soils. They have 12 hectares of vines in the north and northeast of Tenerife, and their production averages 150,000 bottles per year.
Published: Nov 30, 2023