- 94
2020 Suertes del Marques Trenzado Blanco
Suertes is located on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands at the northern end in the Valle de La Orotova. The family have been farming vines for over 40 years but Suertes del Marques began in 2006. Owner Jonatan Garcia Lima runs the property and is part of a growing breed of intensely passionate young Spanish producers capitalising on the heritage vines and the volcanic soils to speak through his eloquent, mineral driven wines. Recently he has started working with talented young winemaker Luis Seabra. The estate has some incredibly old, low-yielding vines that produces wines with freshness, balance, purity of fruit, minerality and authentic terroir character.
Other Reviews....
The white 2020 Trenzado was produced with Listán Blanco (and 2% Torrontés Volcánico) grapes from six vineyards from local growers in the western part of the valley on poor volcanic soils harvested even earlier than ever (every year seems to be a record!). It fermented in 2,000-, 2,500- and 4,500-liter oak foudres and some 15% used 500-liter oak barrels, where it matured for 10 months. It's lower in alcohol, 12%, and has a low pH of 3.07 and 6.44 grams of acidity. Since 2016, the wine is different from the Vidonia because it's selected by soils; here, all are from the west of the Orotava Valley, closer to Los Realejos, where the soils are poorer and the wines tend to reduction. Putting your nose in the glass is like smelling a volcano, smoky and leesy. The palate is serious, fresh and harmonious, pungent, with tasty, almost salty notes. There is no heat at all in the wine, and the quality is great—the same as before but with more production. It should develop nicely in bottle. 29,000 bottles were produced, a big jump in volume. It was bottled in August 2021. Drink 2022 - 2027.
94 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Feb 2022)
Listán Blanco. Named after the local trenzado plaited vine-training technique.
Very reduced nose – so reduced one assumes it’s intentional! Probably a love or loathe wine. It does have fruit and enormous marine influence with, presumably, the influence of the volcano towering overhead. Decidedly interesting though it’s actually quite painful on the tongue! Perhaps because of the acidity? Drink 2021-2025.
16.5/20 points
Jancis Robinson MW