{"id":7820,"date":"2013-07-28T10:31:57","date_gmt":"2013-07-28T10:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wineanorak.com:\/wineblog\/?p=7820"},"modified":"2013-08-30T21:02:33","modified_gmt":"2013-08-30T21:02:33","slug":"the-remarkable-tenerife-wines-of-suertes-del-marques","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wineanorak.com:\/wineblog\/spain\/the-remarkable-tenerife-wines-of-suertes-del-marques","title":{"rendered":"The remarkable Tenerife wines of Suertes del Marques"},"content":{"rendered":"

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So excited to have discovered these wonderful wines from Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s, Tenerife. (Website here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Based in Valle de la Oratova, Tenerife, Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s was founded as recently in 2006. The work here is as natural as possible. They farm 9 hectares of vineyards, split into 21 plots, with altitude ranging from 350\u2013700 metres, on the slopes of Mount Teide, an active volcano. Some of the vineyards are very old indeed, and are trellised with a system unique to the Canary Islands: \u00a0el cordon trenzado\u00a0<\/em>(the braided cord), which is a multiple cordon with a number of the vine\u2019s branches braided together.<\/p>\n

The main varieties here are List\u00e1n Blanco and List\u00e1n Negro. The former is the same as Palomino, the main Sherry grape. These are truly brilliant wines and are well worth checking out. The white in particular is quite remarkable.<\/p>\n

Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s \u2018Los Pasitos\u2019 Baboso Negra 2011 Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Spain<\/strong>
\nFrom ungrafted vines, this spends 13 months in old 500 litre French oak barrels. Amazing aromatics: fine, very peppery, with fresh cherry fruit. Perfumed and sweet but really peppery. The palate is precise but elegant with a silky texture and lovely bright cherry fruit, with some peppery bite. It\u2019s just so beautiful, with real personality and presence. 94\/100<\/p>\n

Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s 7 Fuentes 2011 Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Spain<\/strong>
\nFrom a mixture of 100+ year old ungrafted vines and more modern plantings, this is 90% List\u00e1n Negro and 10% Tintilla. It\u2019s aged in 90% concrete and 10% 500 litre barrels. Very fresh and lively with red cherry fruit and a distinctive peppery edge. The palate is light and juicy with supple, sappy notes and pepper spice brightness. Amazingly vivid and drinkable. 93\/100 (\u00a310.95 The Wine Society)<\/p>\n

Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s \u2018El Ciruleo\u2019 List\u00e1n Negro 2011 Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Spain<\/strong>
\nA mixture of 90+ year old vines and some younger vines, aged in old 500 litre barrels for 12 months. Very fine, fresh, peppery and aromatic with floral cherry fruit on the nose. The palate is elegant, supple and sweetly fruited: ripe, rounded yet fresh, with peppery cherry fruit and some herbal notes. Tight and expressive. 94\/100<\/p>\n

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Suertes del Marqu\u00e9s \u2018Vidonia\u2019 List\u00e1n Blanco Vi\u00f1as Viejas 2011 Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Spain<\/strong>
\nFrom ungrafted vines over 100 years old, this is 90% List\u00e1n Blanco plus some other local varieties. Full yellow colour. Wonderful minerally, matchstick nose with reductive characters plus citrus, peach and nuts. The palate is fresh, textured and reductive with some minerally notes under the waxy, nutty, appley characters. Amazing presence, concentration and complexity, holding reductive and oxidative characters together in amazing tension. Profound. 95\/100<\/p>\n

See a film of me tasting two of these wines:<\/p>\n