From: Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Varietal: Listan Negro
Taste: 100% Listán Negro that gets a full carbonic maceration treatment. An extremely fresh and bright wine meant to drink young and with a chill.
About Bermejo Listán Negro Maceración Carbónica: The Bello family was a prestigious Lanzarote family who had great power on the island for centuries. They had so much power they even decided to build a winery on a large agricultural property that was destroyed by the Timanfaya volcano in the 18th century. This property was in the La Geria valley. However, what was originally an inhospitable place where there was no fertile land, eventually became a unique volcanic wine region thanks to the effort and skill of local farmers. Over time the Bello’s winery fell into disuse and it was not until 2001, when it was acquired by Carmelo González Clavijo and Ignacio Valdera Calvo (more below), that it was given a new lease of life under the name Los Bermejos (in honour of the red soils found under the volcanic ash). In a short time, the volcanic soils, the stone walls and the subtropical climate became the protagonists of some unique wines that proudly showcase the D.O. Lanzarote (Canary Islands).
One example of this work is Bermejo Listán Negro Maceración Carbónica. A red wine made with the island’s main red grape variety, Listán Negro, whose vines are unusually planted in holes formed in the volcanic soil (locally called picón) and protected from the wind by small dry stone walls. Growing alongside fruit bushes that allow the plants to take root more easily in the deep fertile soil, the vines are cultivated using a respectful agriculture in search of a unique quality grape. In the winery, the wine is made using carbonic maceration, a traditional winemaking practice that produces young, very aromatic wines with a pleasant mouthfeel. It involves the spontaneous vinification of whole bunches of grapes without prior destemming or pressing.
The special thing about Bermejo Listán Negro Maceración Carbónica is that it is surprisingly born from impossible conditions. These are the conditions that Los Bermejos have managed to make the most of to reflect the richness of this Canary island at its most pure.
More info. Owned and run by winemaker Ignacio Valdera, Bermejos is on the easternmost island of Lanzarote. Only 125km from the African coast, conditions here are extreme. A volcanic explosion that lasted from 1730-1736 covered the entire island in lava and ash 3-5 meters deep. Consequently, each vine must be planted in a hole or hoyo that breaks through that infertile volcanic crust of petrified lava to the organic matter that can nourish it. The wind, which acts as a natural fungicide, is so ferocious that each hoyo is surrounded by rock walls for protection. The flora on Lanzarote – including the vines – cannot grow up very high; there are not enough nutrients in the soil to support sprawling greenery. Yields are miniscule (16 hL/ha) and each berry is concentrated with flavor. All vineyard work is done meticulously by hand. Some of the wines are certified organic, depending on the vintage. Ignacio supplements his crop with purchased fruit from growers who share his vision of sustainable viticulture; with such low yields the winery would have to own most of the land on the island in order to produce financially sustainable quantities of wine from exclusively proprietary grapes.
