Canary Islands Icon : Suertes del Marqués

Jan 8

The family owned Suertes del Marqués is responsible for putting Canary Islands, Tenerife, and the appellation Valle de La Orotava on the world wine map. Though they’ve been producing under this label since 2006, they’ve been wine growers for decades prior, selling their grapes to other wineries in Spain’s ancient volcanically built island of Tenerife. Owner Jonatan Garcia Lima is part of the growing breed of intensely passionate young Spanish producers focusing on the heritage vines, and allowing the volcanic soils to speak through his eloquent, mineral driven wines.

As caretakers of the land, their philosophy is to represent the best of their exceptional soils and indigenous grapes as best they can, interfering as little as possible in the production of their wines. As such, they work with native yeasts, sustainable viticulture, and use minimal amounts of sulphur with all their wines.

Tenerife has a long and fascinating wine history and a wealth of indigenous grape varieties such as Listán Negro, Tintilla and Baboso Negro, many of them grown on 100 year old pie franco vines. The Orotova Valley is located on the far cooler North side of the island, which features volcanic clay soils and the steep slopes of the Pico del Teide volcano. The estate has some incredibly old, low yielding vines and produce wines that have freshness, balance, purity of fruit, minerality and an authentic terroir character.

We have also created a limited edition Mixed Case Suertes del Marqués, including all the wines currently available in the province.

Read more below on wines currently in stock, along with links to purchase.

Trenzado 2024

From Tenerife's volcanic soils, this is primarily Listán Blanco, with a mix of 10-150 year old native grapes Marmajuelo, Guao, Vijariego Blanco, Verdelo, Torrontés and Baboso Blanco sourced across various vineyards 300-700m in the Valle de La Orotava, and predominantly grown in the traditional cordón trenzado training system. After native ferment in a mix of concrete and older French casks, this aged 10 months on lees in foudres and older 500L barrels.

Opening with a quick swing of reduction that blows off to reveal a super saline white with oyster shell, crunchy green apple, lemon peel over a bed of river stones to a lingering saline finish. There is no way this could not be a marine, volcanic white, showing lovely sense of place.

Appellation : DO Valle de la Orotava
Region : Tenerife, Canary Islands
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : White blend
Price : $50
Case : 6 / case

Vidonia 2024

From Tenerife's volcanic soils, this organically farmed old vine listán blanco was rooted at 350-550m. Vidonia is an old colloquial term for the historic whites of the island, traditionally dominated by Listán Blanco and generally field blends. This mineral driven white was native fermented in neutral 500L casks and 25hL foudre before spending another 11 months rest there.

Opening with an alluring flicker of reduction before a medium bodied palate of green fig, verbena, green apple, and lemon peel, all imbued with potent marine salinity, and humming with a volcanic buzz. Drinking now, and with time ahead.

Appellation : DO Valle de la Orotava
Region : Tenerife, Canary Islands
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : Listán Blanco
Price : $77
Case : 6 / case

Vidonia VP 2024

From Tenerife's volcanic soils, this organically farmed Listán Blanco comes from a selection of estate vineyards 350-550m. Vidonia is an old colloquial term for the historic whites of the island, traditionally dominated by Listán Blanco and generally field blends. This mineral driven white was native fermented and aged in new 500L casks over 11 months.

So harmonious, with the potent wine gobbling up the new wood completely, shockingly so. Finely textured, with crushed stones and flake salts imbuing green fig, green apple, lemon curd and peel, all woven with an alluring reduction that lingers on the long finish. A revelatory wine, drinking so completely now, and with years ahead. 2660 bottles.

Appellation : DO Valle de la Orotava
Region : Tenerife, Canary Islands
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : Listán Blanco
Price : $144
Case : 4 / case

7 Fuentes 2021

100+ year old ungrafted and organic Listán Negro is splashed with Castellana Negra in this singular wine, showcasing Tenerife's volcanic soils and vineyard altitude up to 750m. Suertes del Marqués considers this their 'village wine', and an introduction to their range.

Careful aging for 9 months in concrete and neutral French oak gives this lighter red ample fine texture and finesse, with wild flowers, wild plum, pink grapefruit, and stony salts wafting throughout the slender frame, woven with volcanic reduction and pink peppercorns. Tannins are spiderweb fine and strong, and acidity is effortless. Give this a light chill.

“The 2021 7 Fuentes was quite similar to the 2020 that I tasted next to it, but this year they merged the 7 Fuentes and 7 Fuentes El Lance into a single cuvée of Listán Negro and 5% Castellana Negra, so it has grapes from more vineyards, 30 different ones. It fermented with 20% full clusters in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months, 50% in concrete and 50% in used 500-liter oak barrels; then it was blended and kept in stainless steel for a further eight months. It has 12.63% alcohol and good acidity and freshness. This is quite approachable and less reductive and at the same time fresher. They have been working to increase the pH of the soil to get less reduction in the wines; each year as the soils are healthier, there is less reduction in the wines. 50,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.” - 93+ points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

Appellation : DO Valle de la Orotava
Region : Tenerife, Canary Islands
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : Listán Negro, Castellana Negra
Price : $30
Case : 12 / case

La Solana 2023

La Solana is a single 1.5 hectare vineyard in northern Tenerife, between 350-450m and on loamy clay atop volcanic soils. This is from a single plot of 100+ year old Listán Negro vines, in the traditional cordón trenzado training system. After a native ferment in concrete, with 100% whole cluster, this aged 11 months in 500L neutral French wood before being bottled unfiltered.

Pink peppercorn, scrubby florals, wild raspberry waft through this lighter red, with ample marine salinity and balsam acidity to lift, and downy / sticky tannins to frame, finishing with lingering salinity. Most certainly a volcanic island wine, showing place.

Appellation : DO Valle de la Orotava
Region : Tenerife, Canary Islands
Country : Spain
Grape(s) : Listán Negro
Price : $44
Case : 6 / case

Most of our producers are small, independently owned and operated businesses, like ours. You can view our complete portfolio here. Thank you for letting us share these producers and wines with you.

Cheers,