Grapes: Listan Negro, Listan Blanc
Region: Canary Islands, Spain
Vintage: 2023
Viticulture: Organic
Soils: Volcanic
Vinification: Whole cluster co-ferment for 5 days, pressed then finished fermentation in concrete tanks
Aging: 9 months in tank
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None added
Notes from the Importer: Els Perles consists of a mere two hectares of mostly old vines Listán Negro and Listán Blanco and a sprinkling of Alexandrian muscat, planted on a steep slope that faces the Atlantic Ocean. The soils here are famously volcanic, allowing for most of the vines to thrive on native rootstock - phylloxera never flourished in the Canaries. Following local tradition, vines are trained into long, horizontal braids - trenzado in Castilian - which can be moved back and forth as needed. Vinification is primitive, even by our rather extreme standards, with most of the work performed by gravity and without electricity. To my knowledge, these are among the few wines made in the Canary Islands in a completely natural way, with no additives whatsoever. For me, the result is revelatory: the distinctive smokey perfume, pale color, and zippy acidity of Listán that I had come to know in other wines from the region is unrestrained by oenological makeup! We're so excited to share these wines and hope you like them as much as we do.
