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).
2 products
2 products
- Red Wine
- Listán Negro
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic Vines
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.5% alc./vol
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
Wine Align
91 points - Michael Godel
Freshest of freshest varietal listán negro which means the hyperbole of acidity distracts from detecting any serious tannin while fruit and volcanic hypotheticals create their necessary union. The unmistakable and impalpable listán negro is expressed through a house’s consistent, persistent and unwavering purity, without grift or deception. If "your sensibilities are shaken by the slightest defect" please do not worry and don't call the police because "slight" is the operative word. This is the Viñátigo way and this their accessible red wine in celebration of clarity from a place. Getting at this 2024 involves no early indication of potential danger or failure but instead the prospect of delicious drinking for these next few years. No canary in a coal mine indeed but yet a character that is expressly Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Oh joy, oh rapture for a crispy varietal red seemingly always “acertado,” readied, on call and on point. Drink 2026-2029. Tasted June 2025.
91 points - Sara d'Amato
Expressive and grippy with an expansive aromatic profile. This volcanic red from the sub-tropical Atlantic outpost of Tenerife, is made from the local listán negro is juicy and naturally spicy with the faintest hint of volatility adding character to the wine. Tannins are lightly grippy with snappy acids on the palate. Engaging and versatile with food. Ready to drink but don't serve too warm. Tasted June 2025.
90 points - Megha Jandhyala, S.J.D., DipWSET.
This is an intriguing and distinctive listán negro, with aromas of ripe red berries, cherries, and pomegranates amplified by a whiff of volatile acidity. These fruit flavours are accompanied by pleasing flavours of dried savoury herbs, including juniper and rosemary, crushed wildflowers, and a hint of spice. The palate is medium bodied, with fine, drying tannins and crisp acidity, while the finish is long and fragrant, with notes of sweet herbs peaking on the long, layered finish. I would enjoy this wine sooner rather than later, ideally over the next year. Tasted June 2025.
- White Wine
- Listán Blanco
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly, Volcanic Vines
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% alc./vol
Viñátigo Vino de Parcela Lomo de La Era 2023
Canary Islands, Spain
Regular price $63.95per bottle
($383.70per case)6 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.
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.
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