IÑAKI GARRIDO
Tenerife
Canary Islands
Some time before he came to Tenerife to live with his wife and daughter, Iñaki Garrido came across an old plot of Listán Blanco in the Valle de Güimar. The vines sit at an altitude of 1400mt, with some up to 200 years old and on original, ungrafted rootstocks that delve deep into the island’s famous volcanic soils.
Thrilled by his discovery, it didn’t take long for Iñaki to take the plunge, and he quickly rented the vineyard from its owner to create his own wines from this fascinating terroir. Iñaki uses a 500-litre barrel from Austria and a small space in Suertes Del Marques, a newly built winery in La Orotrava belonging to his friend Jonatan García. His one cuvée, Las Toscas, is focused and racy in character and ends on a mouth-wateringly saline finish.
Las Toscas
Vintage 2020
Style White
Region Güímar Valley, Tenerife
Varieties Listan Blanco
ABV
Soils Volcanic, Stony, Clay on hard limestone bedrock
Farming Organic
Winemaking All the works are carried out manually - given the steepness of the vineyard and difficult access, it makes mechanisation impossible. In the winery, the grapes are gently pressed and the must is fermented spontaneously using the indigenous yeasts present on the grape’s skins. Fermentation is slow and lasts for over 3 months, in 2 barrels of 500L, one of new Austrian oak and one of third usage from France. Iñaki does one racking after the alcoholic fermentation has come to an end and then return the wine in the same barrels to age on its fine lees for a further 6 months. The low yields and rather small sized vineyard meant for a minuscule production of just 1,250 bottles in 2020.
Tasting Note Gentle citrus, stone fruit, beeswax and smoky flint. The palate is focused, complex and racy, ending on a mouth-wateringly saline finish.