Envínate
Spain
Hailing from the Canary Islands, Galicia, Extremadura and Almansa, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez met while studying oenology at The Miguel Hernández University of Elche. In 2005, after graduating, they formed a wine consultancy and later Envínate, with the goal of expressing the distinctive terroirs of Spain and its Atlantic coastline. Their passion was the ancient terroirs of Ribeira Sacra, the Canary Islands and Almansa, and when they left university they each went to different corners of Spain, to make wine with the same philosophy, under the same Envínate umbrella.
Each member of the Envínate collective brings his or her unique strengths to the group, coming together to create a product that transparently and beautifully reflects each oceanic terroir.
What makes Envínate special is its completely natural winemaking process, identical and consistent in each of Envínate’s four winemaking facilities. The team uses absolutely no chemicals in their process – all parcels are hand-picked, grapes are foot-trodden, and wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts.
With a focus on the Atlantic regions of Galicia’s Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands, Envinate is responsible for making some of Spain’s most compelling and elegant vintages.
Envínate literally means wine yourself. Espousing traditional farming, and non-interventionist winemaking, they’re currently being touted as some of Spain’s most remarkable wines. Their wines come from single vineyards, as well as a few being a blend of specific plots. Although all come from the small island of Tenerife, each bottling has its own, remarkable, character. Every wine warrants discovery.
Currently there are four different projects under the Envínate umbrella: Lousas overseen by Alfonso Torrente in Ribeira Sacra, Táganan and Benje by Roberto Santana in Tenerife, and Albahra in Almansa by Laura Ramos and José Martínez. And today we’re thrilled to introduce the wines from Tenerife, from Táganan and Benje.
The Benje are a thrilling introduction to these wines. From 1000 metres of altitude, both white and red show incredible wildness yet also precision.
Táganan is the old name for an old, rugged vineyard plot that is situated on the cliff tops, in the north east part of the island. At up to 500 metres altitude, extremely old vines and planted on complex volcanic soils, this wine displays amazing freshness and minerality.
Margalagua is an extremely steep and small vineyard parcel that overlooks the Atlantic at an altitude of 200 metres. It’s a red of poise and floral lift, with an incredible sense of place.
A relative new addition to the Envínate range, the Migan is a 100% Listán Negro wine that comes from four different parcels in the Orovata Valley, in a village previously named Migan, on ungrafted vines that are over 100 years old.
Also new, in just its second year, La Santa de Úrsula is sourced from over 100 year old vines from 3 plots that reach 600 metres altitude and situated in the north of Tenerife in Santa Úrsula. It’s more savoury and herbal, with layers of complexity.
And finally, the white. From five different plots, from the viticultural zone in the village of Los Realejos, an area that is famed for producing high quality Listán Blanco (also known as Palomino), Palo Blanco is white of incredible focus and concentration.
