Winemaker Notes
Roberto Santana and Jonatan Garcia refer to their 7 Fuentes as a village wine. The name is a reference to the seven sites in the DO of Valle de la Orotava, where they source the grapes for this cuvee. With a high percentage of old vines, it is a tremendous value and an exceptional introduction to the volcanic terroir found on the slopes of the very active, Teide. Mostly comprised of Listan Negro with a small amount of Tintilla, it is entirely fermented in small stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeast and a short, gentle maceration. About 20% of the cuvee is aged in neutral 500L French oak demi-muids with the remainder resting in concrete.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The QPR champion 2013 7 Fuentes is a blend of Listán Negro and 15% Tintilla (the local name given to Trousseau) from different plots on volcanic soils of ungrafted, old vineyards. Each plot is fermented separately with indigenous yeasts in cement vats and small bins. Sixty-five percent of the wine matures in cement and the rest is transferred to 500-liter oak barrels for a period of seven months. After some initial reduction (give it an energetic decanting) there are showy aromas of dried flowers, white pepper, pumice, volcanic ash and perhaps some plums with savage, meaty undertones. The palate is silky with supple tannins framing the red fruit and pungent flavors that are intermixed with notes of volcanic rocks. It reminds me quite a lot of the 2011 that is pure minerals. This is one to buy by the case; it is a bargain. 40,000 bottles were produced.
The Canary Islands are the southernmost Northern Hemisphere wine region. Because of such a dry climate, grape vines grown on the island are coiled in small craters in the volcanic soil which shelter them from the strong, sun-baked winds. This is the perfect climate for Listan Negro, which is vinified in several styles, from delicate, food-friendly rosés to light and fruity reds made by carbonic maceration (the technique used to make Beaujolais Nouveau), to traditionally-vinified reds aged in oak.
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.
SWS372976_2013 Item# 159808