Wines from the Canary Islands

...and crystal-clear water in rural surroundings, along with long, pale sandy beaches: these are the striking images that every holidaymaker brings home. But the Canaries are also a wine-growing region well worth taking notice of.

How wine is grown in the Canaries

Grapevines are found in every region of the Canary Islands except Fuerteventura. There are only a few small vineyard plots there, which are better described as a hobby than as professional viticulture.

Yields in the Canaries are, of course, not comparable to those on the European mainland.

The most important factors in wine-growing are:

- Dry farming, which is practised across extensive areas, such as the southern slopes of the western islands or low-rainfall regions such as Lanzarote, where annual precipitation can fall below 150 litres per square metre

- Large distances must be maintained between vines to ensure that the plants have sufficient opportunity to take up water

- Ageing vineyards are commonplace, as wine-growing cannot provide a living for most farmers, so it is pursued alongside other activities and investment remains limited

- Many vineyards are located at higher elevations on the islands, making extensive mechanisation impossible. Manual work is the order of the day, resulting in small but fine harvests

The beauty of the Canary Islands' vineyards

The climate of the Canary Islands wine region

Although the Canary archipelago lies in the midst of a desert region, the islands are veritable miniature continents. Depending on an island's geographical orientation, exposure to the wind and elevation, there is such a diversity of microclimates that vines encounter entirely different conditions from one island to another.

Wine-growing in the Canary Islands

Growing methods in the Canaries differ dramatically from those in the rest of the world, and many of them are truly unique.

These are the most important methods:

• Cordón

• Hoyo
• Vaso

• Emparrado • Parral bajo • Rastras

Designations of origin for Canary Islands wines

Quality wine must be produced in a specific region from grapes harvested in that same region, using prescribed production methods. So, for anyone unsure whether the bottle in their hand really comes from this Atlantic archipelago, here are the Canary Islands' designations of origin:
• D.O. EL HIERRO (EL HIERRO)
• D.O. GRAN CANARIA (GRAN CANARIA)
• D.O. LA GOMERA (LA GOMERA)
• D.O. LA PALMA (LA PALMA)
• D.O. LANZAROTE (LANZAROTE)
• D.O. ABONA (TENERIFE)
• D.O. VALLE DE GÜIMAR (TENERIFE)
• D.O. VALLE DE LA OROTAVA (TENERIFE)
• D.O. TACORONTE – ACENTEJO (TENERIFE)
• D.O. YCODEN DAUTE ISORA (TENERIFE)