Los Bermejos Listan Negro Lanzarote DO 2019

Los Bermejos is owned and run by winemaker Ignacio Valdera, on the island of Lanzarote, the most challenging of the Canary Islands on which to produce wine. A mere 125 km from the African coastline, conditions here are extreme, earning the island the reputation of “vineyard of the impossible”. The terrain of Lanzarote resembles a lunar landscape more than a traditional vineyard, as little to no vegetation can survive in the porous, black volcanic soil that only receives a few inches of rain per year. Adding to the challenging conditions are the fierce winds from the Atlantic Ocean and Sahara desert, resulting in the innovative winegrowing technique of planting each vine in a small hole, or hoyos, protected from the elements by stone walls. The hoyos also allow the vines to better access the organic matter beneath the top layer of solidified lava. As might be expected, yields are very low and all the vineyard work is done by hand (using pack camels), and organically (the winery is in the process of certification).

Listán Negro (also known as Listan Prieto or Palomino Negro), is closely related to pais, or mission grape, grown in parts of South America and California. Listán negro barely remains on the European mainland (it was wiped out by the phylloxera epidemic) but thrives on the Canary Islands, where it covers almost 12,000 acres of land. Because of such low yields, Ignacio occasionally supplements each crop with purchased fruit from growers who share his vision of sustainable viticulture. This bottling is 100% listán negro aged for five months in French oak from the Allier forest. Concentrated and complex, it displays generous layers of black currant, red currant preserve, sweet red pepper, paprika, worn leather, and smoke. Medium-full bodied, with a lingering savory finish and distinctive rocky minerality, it makes an outstanding dinner companion, especially great with stuffed peppers with chorizo and rice, or with paella. Organically grown.