Tasting Notes
Listan Prieto aka Pais. You will not come across a red wine like this too often. From Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands - volcanic territory. That shows through as a mineral, spicy, salty-edged wine, with full blackberry fruit. It may only be 12% alc, but it’s a powerful taste, and definitely a good wine. Preferably with red meat or casserole. Decant first. - Michael L
From the Envinate team, the name that translates to my favourite reflexive verb of all time, “Wine Yourself”. Listán Prieto, also known as País, Mission. Now extinct on the Spanish mainland, this light-bodied grape found its cultural home in the Canary Islands, the port before its journey into the New World. The name "Benje" comes from the indigenous name for the (until she recently blew her top) tallest volcano on Tenerife, the largest island of the Canaries. The vines grown in the shadows of the volcano at an altitude of 1000m allow the Envinate team to find plenty of freshness and balanced acidity in this often overlooked grape. The reductive nose reminds you of its volcanic terroir, but this blows over to reveal tart red fruits, Morello cherries, unripened strawberries, herbs and of course, minerality. Wine yourself accompanied with Jamón and Papas Arrugadas, the salted, wrinkled potato dish from the Canaries themselves. - Peta W
An increased focus on the environment and an awareness of sustainable agriculture have given rise to a huge increase in organic viticulture. This is an exciting area of growth in the world of wine, and if done right, one that leads to better wines, healthier vines and soils, and less stress on the earth.
But what makes a wine organic?
Organic wine refers to a method of farming, rather than winemaking. It all starts in the vineyard, where vignerons and viticulturalists no longer use synthetic or systemic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers. Instead they opt for organic compounds such as copper and sulfur, which can help reduce he pressure of disease and pests. This results in much better vine and soil health, with no unwanted chemicals leeching into local rivers and waterways through run-off.
Organic farming is not to be confused with Biodynamic farming which, although similar, is a different approach and requires many more specific practices. These practices such as specific soil preparations, and lunar-cycle harvesting are not necessary to achieve an organic system.
It is important to note that organic wines can still have sulphur dioxide added to them. Sulphur is an organic compound, and therefore winemakers are free to add it to their wines, and still achieve organic certification. Winemakers will often add sulphur to help stabilise the wine and protect it from oxygen come bottling time. The wine will still be completely organic, assuming the proper farming practices have been adhered to.
| Product Type | Wine Red Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Canary Islands |
| Sub Region | Tenerife |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |