Bodegas Vinatigo Baboso 2007
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Winemaker Notes
Juan Jesus is a proud native of Tenerife and the fourth generation of growers. During the 25 years that he's overseen Bodegas Viñátigo, he has considerably increased its holdings, planting varieties that he and his team recuperated. During these years he has also juggled the classes he teaches as a professor of viticulture and enology at the Ciclo Superior de Vitivinicultura. His wife Elena Batista works alongside him helping with general aspects of production, from tracking what’s happening in the vineyards - ensuring that harvest takes place at the right time in terms of maturity - as well as working in the cellar, where plots are vinified separately. They do this work collaboratively, constantly exchanging ideas and viewpoints.
Juan Jesus and Elena work closely with Sr. Fernando Zamora at Rovira i Virgili university in Tarragona to study, catalog, preserve, and vinify imperiled indigenous grape varieties. It has proven to be productive work; thus far they have identified 82 different varieties, notably including Baboso Negro and Vijariego Negro. They recovered those varieties on the island of El Pinar and have since propagated them on Tenerife. Juan Jesus and Elena's mission to promote these near-extinct varieties explains why many of their bottlings are monovarietal and featured prominently on their labels. Many bottlings are extremely limited in their production and hand-numbered.
Viticulture at Viñátigo is sustainability-focused. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermented using indigenous yeasts. Grapes go through two triages, first in the fields and then again in the winery. Minimal sulfur is used in the winery and no synthetic materials are used in the winemaking.
Juan Jesus renovated the winery using architecture that evokes the volcanic terroir of Tenerife.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Set of islands off the coast of Morocco and south of Madeira that host a wide range of indigenous and unique grape varieties. Soils are volcanic and recent subsidies from the local government has led to a revival of the islands’ old vines.