Envínate La Santa de Ursula
Regular price $55.00
Winemaker: Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos and José Martínez
Appellation: Tacoronte-Acentejo, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Grape Varieties: 48% Negramoll, 50% Listán Negro, 2% Listán Blanco
From three north-facing parcels of centenarian vines in the La Corujera area, ranging from 350-650m above sea level. The vines are planted on sand and clay soils over red basalt bedrock. Farming is very traditional: the only treatments used in the vines are small amounts of sulfur, bentonite, and silica.
The three parcels were harvested and fermented separately. 1⁄2 of grapes from the lowest parcel went through carbonic maceration in open-top fermenters, while 1⁄2 were destemmed then macerated and fermented in open-top fermenters for 14 days. Grapes from the other two parcels were partially (25%) destemmed, then fermented in concrete tanks without temperature control for 18 days. The wines were blended and rested for 8 months on their lees in 228L neutral French oak barrels, where malolactic fermentation completed naturally. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, with a small addition of sulfur.
Envínate (translates as "wine yourself") is the brainchild of 4 friends, winemakers Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Martínez. This gang of 4 formed back in 2005 while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernandez in Alicante. Upon graduation, they formed a winemaking consultancy, which evolved into Envínate, a project that focuses on exploring distinctive parcels mainly in the Atlantic-inflected regions of Ribeira Sacra and the Canary Islands. Their collective aim is to make profoundly pure and authentic wines that express the terruño of each parcel in a clear and concise manner. To this end, no chemicals are used in any of the Envínate vineyards, all parcels are picked by hand, the grapes are foot-trodden, and the wines are fermented exclusively with wild yeasts, with a varying proportion of whole grape clusters included. For aging, the wines are raised in old barrels and concrete, and sulfur is only added at bottling, if needed. The results are some of the most exciting and honest wines being produced in Spain today.