Trenzado 2024 White

Suertes del Marqués has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of cordón trenzado, an ancient vine training system deeply rooted in Valle de la Orotava. This traditional method, wich involves intertwining vine shoots, allows old vineyards to develop arms as long as 15 metres. The estate’s white wine Trenzado is a perfect ambassador for this singular tradition.

Developed by the valley’s winegrowers to adapt to the limited cultivation area, sloping terrain, and long-pruning varieties such as Malvasía, the system intertwines vine shoots that are tied together with rushes and, in the past, were supported by wooden stakes from the nearby laurel forests, around half a metre above the ground. Once the vines entered dormancy, the cords were removed so that other crops could be planted, making optimal use of the land.

Today, around 200 hectares are still farmed using this system. According to Jonatan García, owner of Suertes del Marqués, virtually all the Listán Negro in La Orotava is trained in cordon trenzado. Another local variety commonly trained this way is Listán Blanco, and Suertes del Marqués has done so too with Vijariego Negro and Malvasía Rosada.

Trenzado is made using 60- to 150-year-old Listán Blanco vines, which are grown in Los Realejos in the western part of DO Valle de la Orotava. The wine is fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-litre casks and foudres. 

Trenzado displays the typical reductive character of many Canarian wines. Gunflint and dairy notes give way to hints of citrus, herbs and spices. It is strikingly sapid, with vibrant acidity and saline and dry stone undertones. Despite its youth, it has a beautiful texture and length.

Although 2024 was a dry year, moderate summer temperatures helped preserve acidity and allowed the grapes to ripen slowly. “The longer the cycle, the more balanced the grapes,” explains García. Acidity levels are excellent, and the wine shows strong potential for further ageing in bottle. In fact, it is a vintage to keep for one to three years. The price is a real treat, given the wine's distinctive character and the historic heritage of its vineyards.

Direct planting has long contributed to the longevity of Canarian vineyards and the preservation of traditional training systems such as cordón trenzado. Therefore, the detection of several cases of phylloxera in Tenerife this summer poses a serious threat —not only to these ungrafted vines, but to the survival of a winegrowing culture that has endured centuries.

12.5% abv.
27,000 bottles
€23 
Score: 94