Wines of the Canary Islands
Opportunities to attend wine tasting events with educational components always excites me. It's fascinating to learn about the regions, unique attributes, and how the grapes are grown. Recently, I attended a class and tasting event at Jersey Wine and Spirits, which focused on wines from the Canary Islands. As a flutist inspired by bird sounds, I initially associated the word "Canary" with the birds, rather than wine. However, attending the class expanded my knowledge about the area's wine production. My natural curiosity motivated me to sign up for the class, and it was my third time attending a class at Jersey Wine and Spirits. Jason carefully selects exceptional wines that showcase interesting and unique characteristics of various styles and regions, and I have always been impressed by his choices.
The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean, closer to Western Sahara and Morocco than to Spain. Before grapes, the early agricultural crop on the islands was sugar, and the fertile soil showed great potential for growth. The soil composition is highly volcanic, indicating the presence of many mineral components. The region is known for two major grape varietals: Listán Blanco and Listán Negro, which have no connection to European varietals. To learn more about the Canary Islands, check out this article from Wine Enthusiast.
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That evening, I had the opportunity to try a total of five different bottles of wine. Jason had opened these bottles two hours prior to the class in order to let them breathe.
1. 2021 La Araucaria Rosado
The year 2021 is considered to be one of the greatest vintages in the Canary Islands. The rosé wine had a pinkish-red color and was transparent. It had strong notes of raspberries with a hint of tartness from sour cherries. The fruity flavors and hue reminded me of fruit punch. The wine had a distinct mineral taste that added sharpness to it. The Listán Negro grape variety was used to make this wine.
2. 2022 Bermejo Malvasia Volcanica Seco
The wine had a light golden hue. It had a rather short finish and a refreshing quality, although not quite crisp. There was a slight carbonation that provided a tingling sensation on the palate. Overall, the impression I got from this wine was that I was tasting a fruit syrup that wasn't quite ready yet.
3. 2021 Palo Blanco
This was the most interesting wine of all. It had a light golden hue with multiple layers of complexity. At first, I detected a cheese and barnyard aroma, but as I continued to taste, I noticed savory, rosemary, and citrusy notes. The wine had high minerality and a long-lasting finish, and the word 'volcanic' immediately came to mind.
4. 2021 La Santa de Úrsula
This wine had a darker reddish hue. I was not particularly a fan of its smell and taste. On the nose, I smelled cherry, dark fruits, and black plums. On the palate, I was reminded a cherry syrup flavored cold medicine that I had when I was a child. There was some bitterness to it, which reminded me of unripe fruit.
5. 2019 Bermejo Listán Negro
This was the second most interesting wine from the class. This red wine had nice complexity. The initial nosing was fresh cut grass, rolled cigars, and tobacco. On the palate, the wine had liqueur-like thickness and intensity. I also tasted blueberries, sodas like Cherry Coke and Dr. Pepper, and a hint of cherry flavored NyQuil.
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This class was truly wonderful, exploring five distinct styles of wines from the Canary Islands. I learned a lot about their wine-making culture and the unique characteristics of their wines. Next time I'm in a wine store, I'll be sure to look for wines from this region when I want something different and unique. For more information about Jason's awesome classes, check out Jersey Wine and Spirits on Instagram. They'll keep you updated on classes, tasting events, and exciting new inventory.