Fifth generation of winegrowers, Victoria Torres is at the forefront of quality wines in La Palma. Of volcanic origin, the island is dominated by the imposing Caldera de Taburiente national park at its centre and Roque de los Muchachos, a rocky peak rising to 2,426 meters above the clouds and home to the telescopes of the Astrophysics Observatory. La Palma is the second-highest island in the Canary Islands, despite ranking fifth in terms of land area.
A Unesco Biosphere Reserve, La Palma owes its wealth of microclimates, soil types and grape varieties to its proximity to the sea, its maritime influence and rugged terrain. The island’s vines are ungrafted, as phylloxera never reached its shores.
This extreme geography also makes La Palma particularly vulnerable to climate change, turning viticulture into a truly heroic undertaking. In recent years, winegrowers have had to contend with drought, extreme temperatures and the 2021 eruption of the Tajogaite volcano, which buried part of the vineyards in Las Manchas. Increasing pressure from wildlife has added to their difficulties.
Victoria works seven hectares of vines, including plots belonging to small-scale winegrowers. They extend from Fuencaliente in the south, where her small winery is located, to Mazo in the east, and Puntagorda, Tijarafe and Garafía in the northwest. The contrasts between sites are striking. In the north, the island’s coolest area, terraced vineyards lie at 1,200-1,400 metres, with bush vines growing on older, more evolved soils without a sandy surface layer. In the south, by contrast, volcanic ash, known locally as picón, can reach depths of up to two metres.
Victoria vinifies each plot and variety separately and takes a hands-off approach in the cellar. All her wines are produced using traditional methods, with spontaneous fermentation and no temperature control She uses a variety of ageing vessels, including stainless steel tanks, oak barrels, concrete vats, glass demijohns and chestnut casks, traditionally used on the island.
Although she considers herself an active member of the island’s DO, all her wines except the sweet Malvasía have been sold as table wines in recent years. One reason is her approach to volatile acidity in hot vintages. She sees it as a way of preserving freshness, but the resulting wines would not get the approval of the DO tasting panel.
White wines
Although scarce, Malvasía is the island’s most prized variety. Its finest expression comes from Llanos Negros, a west-facing slope with vines planted in volcanic lapilli at 200- 400 metres elevation, some of them up to 130 years old. The climate here is drier, with less influence from the humid trade winds. Historically, Malvasía was used to produce sweet wines such as the highly prized Victoria Torres Pecis Malvasía Naturalmente Dulce (50 cl, €70 in Spain). With its evocative perfume and honeyed palate, it is a fine example of the style. The variety has since found a new lease of life in dry white wines. Malvasía Aromática Seca (€38-€42) combines the natural concentration imparted by the terroir with acidity and a saline, crisp character resulting in a serious white with ageing potential.
On the southern slopes of the San Antonio volcano, beneath a black ridge overlooking the ocean, lies Las Machuqueras, one of Victoria’s favourite vineyards. It has been in her family for five generations. The ungrafted vines, aged between 45 to 100 years, are protected by stone walls called cadenas (chains). The plants crawl on the black soil, defying the northwesterly wind that blows unrelentingly. Her sigle-varietal Listán Blanco Las Machuqueras (€43) is made from hand-harvested grapes and aged with its lees (as are the rest of her wines) for sevral months before spending a short time in large oak barrels. Concentrated and mineral, it displays a complex palate with saline nuances (Listán Blanco is the same as Palomino from Jerez). From leased vineyards and plots farmed by local growers on the same site, Victoria makes a second Listán Blanco called Monte (€40).
Other wines from the southern tip of the island include Las Migas (€35), a Listán Blanco aged in concrete tanks and made from a blend of grapes grown in Victoria’s own vineyards and those of local growers. These vineyards all face west and lie between 350 and 1,000 metres above sea level. El Tión, the highest area in Fuencaliente, is another important site, where Victoria recently acquired three plots. In good vintages, she makes T+D, named after Tión and Diego (or Bujariego) white variety. Occasionally, she has also bottled Listán Negro from this site separately.
Jerónimo (€38) is made from grapes grown in the north of the island, primarily Listán Blanco with a small amount of Albillo. Victoria used to produce a single-varietal Albillo Criollo, but she stopped because it became increasingly difficult to find Albillo vines she could farm herself.
Reds, rosés and some off-the-beaten-track wines
Her flagship red is made from La Palma’s most distinctive red grape variety. Victoria Torres Pecis Negramoll (€42) is a blend of grapes from different areas, earning it the description 'island wine' on the label. It undergoes spontaneous fermentation with whole bunches, is trodden by foot, and is aged in wooden vessels of various sizes.
The red version of Jerónimo (€37) blends Listán Negro, Negramoll and a small amount of Listán Prieto from vineyards in the north. In particularly good vintages, Victoria also makes a single-varietal Listán Prieto, although opportunities to do so have been few in recent years.
Another well-established wine is Clarete (€36). Interestingly, the grapes are sourced from Hoyo de Mazo, in the east of the island, where vineyard loss is most severe. Victoria once farmed two hectares there, but now she has the equivalent of just one. This co-fermented wine is made from Negramoll and Listán Negro and Blanco, then aged briefly in oak and stainless steel.
Victoria also has a separate category called 'Untitled', intended for wines that do not fit into her usual blends. These wines are kept in the cellar and used to create complementary blends that vary according to factors such as east–west orientation and low-high elevation. This category also includes some vintage blends that have recently been released. "Through frequent tasting, I discovered that blending several vintages reconnects with the expression of the plot. It was a revelation to see what time can bring, both in the vineyard and in the cellar,” Victoria explains, for whom each new vintage is a fresh adventure.
These relatively consistent cuvées account for around 16,000 bottles a year, although production fluctuates considerably with the weather. In 2019, for example, production did not exceed 9,000 bottles, whereas the 2026 vintage yielded 20,000, making it one of the most generous in recent times. Most of the wines are exported outside Spain.