Collection: Viñátigo

The History

Viñátigo was founded in 1990 by Juan Jesús Méndez in La Guancha on the northern side of Tenerife. For generations, the family had been cultivating wine on the island, but Juan Jesús early on recognized the need to both preserve and rediscover Tenerife's native grape varieties while also showcasing the island's vast potential as a wine region.

In many ways, Viñátigo became an essential part of modern Tenerife. Over the last decades, the winery has been among the producers highlighting the local varieties and the island’s unique terroirs. Several of the grape varieties were close to disappearing entirely, but through targeted efforts in selection and preservation, Viñátigo has helped ensure that they continue to be cultivated today.

This has made the house one of the most influential producers on the Canary Islands and a natural reference point when discussing Tenerife and Canarian wine.

Geography and Terroir

Viñátigo's vineyards are located in the northwestern part of Tenerife around La Guancha and several surrounding villages. Here, the landscape is dramatic with steep slopes, views of the Atlantic Ocean, and vineyards stretching from coastal plots to about 1,000 meters in elevation.

The vast variation in elevation and exposure creates very different microclimates. The cool trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean are a crucial part of the area, helping to maintain freshness and balance, even in the southern heat. The combination of the sea's influence and the significant altitude differences creates wines full of energy and a clear tension between ripeness and freshness.

Tenerife’s volcanic history is ever-present in the landscape. The soils vary from dark volcanic stones and lava deposits to older and more developed soils with a higher clay and sand content. This imparts a distinctive structure, minerality, and the salty nerve for which many of the island's best wines are known.

Philosophy and Work in the Vineyards

At Viñátigo, the starting point is always Tenerife and the local grape varieties. The focus is on preserving the island's vinous heritage while clearly showcasing the identity of each grape.

They work with listán blanco, listán negro, marmajuelo, gual, vijariego blanco, vijariego negro, baboso negro, tintilla, and negramoll - grapes that are almost exclusively found here and provide the wines with their distinct character.

The vineyard work is carried out with great respect for nature and a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. Many of the parcels are on steep slopes, thus the work is done manually. Additionally, several vineyards are planted on their own roots as phylloxera has never taken hold on the islands.

Vinification

In the cellar, Viñátigo applies the same precision as in the vineyards. Each parcel and each grape variety is vinified to preserve the character of the grape and its growing site.

Depending on the style of the wine, both stainless steel tanks, concrete, and wood are used. Some wines are aged solely in steel to accentuate freshness and aromatics, while others gain more structure and depth through barrel aging.

The approach is classical and precise, avoiding overworking the wines. The goal is not to create a uniform house style, but to allow each grape and parcel to express its unique character as clearly as possible.

Viñátigo at Copenhagen Wine

We are very pleased to have Viñátigo in our portfolio. Tenerife is one of Europe's ‘newly discovered’ exciting wine regions, and Viñátigo is one of the producers that truly demonstrates why.

Here, you get wines with plenty of personality - characterized by volcanic terroir, the cool influence of the sea, and some of Spain's most intriguing native grape varieties.

These are wines with energy, minerality, and character - yet wines that feel remarkably special in the glass. A strong representative of Tenerife and an exciting glimpse into the unique wine tradition of the Canary Islands.