La Vanguardia awards 97 points to Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023 and highlights its unique production

The prestigious newspaper has named Bodegas Viñátigo's wine the highest-rated in a selection of four wines that express the diversity of their grape varieties and terroirs.

On July 20th, the national newspaper published the article "4 Wines That Stand Out for Their Unique Winemaking Methods" in its "Food" section and Wine Guide. The selection features four wines from different Spanish regions that are distinguished by their unique winemaking processes.

Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023 leads the list with a score of 97 out of 100, the highest of the four wines included in the article.

Beyond the numbers, the review written by Meritxell Falgueras focuses on what truly defines this wine: its ability to bring together in one bottle the varietal, geological and climatic diversity of northern Tenerife.

An assembly that begins long before arriving at the warehouse

Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023 is made with Tintilla, Listán Negro, Baboso Negro and Vijariego Negro, four native varieties that offer different behaviors and expressions depending on the soil, altitude, orientation and climatic conditions of each plot.

Its uniqueness lies not only in the diversity of the grapes used. Each variety is harvested and vinified separately, respecting its respective ripening times and allowing it to express its own identity before the final blending.

This process transforms winemaking into an exercise in interpreting the vintage. The goal is not to reproduce an invariable formula, but to find the most precise balance between the varieties and landscapes present in each harvest. For this reason, the composition can change from year to year. In other vintages, Negramoll may also be included, although, as La Vanguardia points out, it is not part of the 2023 blend.

After nine months of aging in oak barrels, the different expressions are integrated into a wine that seeks to showcase the complexity of the terroir without obscuring the personality of each of its components.

From the Ocean to the High Mountains

The publication highlights the extraordinary diversity of Tenerife's vineyards, stretching from areas near sea level to plots located around 1,000 meters above sea level and cultivated using both traditional and contemporary systems, from low trellises to espaliers.

Along this vertical journey, the Atlantic influence, the trade winds, the altitude, and the volcanic soils create numerous microclimates. Each one contributes distinct nuances to the grape varieties, resulting in a blend that is a diverse representation of the wine-growing landscape of northern Tenerife.

Meritxell Falgueras describes Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023 as a vertical, firm, and fresh wine. In its sensory profile, she identifies candied black fruits, black pepper, and hints of mushrooms—notes that reflect its earthy, spicy, and volcanic character.

The result, as the author summarizes, allows for a truly "volcanic experience on the palate."

Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023

PDO Canary Islands. Viñátigo Winery (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands)

Grape varieties: Tintilla, Listán Negro, Baboso Negro, Vijariego Negro

Aging in oak barrels: 9 months

Price: €29

Score out of 100: 97

A Tribute to the Varietal Heritage of the Canary Islands

The article in La Vanguardia also dedicates a significant portion of its analysis to the human and scientific project that underpins our wines.

The publication acknowledges the work carried out over decades by Juan Jesús Méndez, founder of Bodegas Viñátigo, an industrial chemist and winemaker, as well as president of the Canary Islands PDO – Canary Wine and the Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of the Canary Islands, AVIBO.

His career has been deeply linked to the identification, recovery, and promotion of Canarian grape varieties that were once on the verge of extinction. Grapes such as Baboso Negro, Tintilla, and Vijariego Negro are now part of a distinct winemaking identity thanks to this extensive work of research, conservation, and dissemination.

The article also recognizes the contribution of Elena Batista, winemaker at Bodegas Viñátigo and head of Quality, Processes, and R&D. Her work over more than 25 years has been fundamental to projects related to the study and recovery of the archipelago's varietal heritage.

In 2025, Elena Batista was awarded the ENOMAQ Winemaker Award for Professional Career Achievement and the Rafael Armas Benítez Award, granted by the University of La Laguna through the Canary Islands Chair of Agritourism and Wine Tourism.

Biodiversity Transformed into Wine

That a publication as relevant and widely read as La Vanguardia has turned its attention to Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto represents further recognition for Canarian wine and for a way of understanding viticulture based on respect for the land.

The publication doesn't present biodiversity as an abstract concept, but as a living heritage that can be perceived in the glass. Each recovered variety, each preserved plot, and each vinification carried out separately contributes to creating a wine that is difficult to replicate outside of Tenerife.

The 97 points awarded to Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto 2023 recognize its quality, but also validate a working philosophy: observing each vintage, understanding its differences, and blending its distinct voices until they become a coherent expression of the landscape.

For those of us at Bodegas Viñátigo, this recognition in La Vanguardia is both a source of satisfaction and an incentive to continue protecting and promoting the extraordinary viticultural diversity of the Canary Islands.

Behind every bottle of Viñátigo Ensamblaje Tinto lies not only a unique winemaking method, but also a territory, a history, and a varietal heritage that deserves to be preserved and shared.

*Read the original article at La Vanguardia