March 2025 Blanco y Tinto Club

Suertes del Marques 2022 Trenzado Listan Blanco Regular Price: $31.99 Club Price: $27.19 Buy Now

Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, is home to some of the most distinctive wines in the world, shaped by its rugged volcanic terrain and centuries-old viticultural traditions. Among the island’s standout producers, Suertes del Marqués has earned a reputation for crafting expressive wines that capture the singularity of this unique landscape. Their 2022 Trenzado is a prime example—a textured, mineral-driven white wine made from Listán Blanco, a grape that thrives in Tenerife’s extreme conditions. Named after the traditional vine training system, trenzado (meaning “braided”), this wine is as much a product of its terroir as it is of the craftsmanship behind it.

The volcanic soils of Tenerife play a crucial role in shaping the character of wines like Trenzado. The vines are planted on the steep slopes of the Orotava Valley, some reaching elevations of over 600 meters (nearly 2,000 feet). Here, the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean tempers the island’s warm climate, preserving acidity and freshness in the grapes. The trenzado system—where vines are trained into long, interwoven braids—helps mitigate strong coastal winds and maximizes exposure to sunlight, aiding in even ripening. These conditions create wines with incredible tension, minerality, and a saline quality that reflects their island origins.

Image courtesy Suertes del Marques

Listán Blanco, also known as Palomino in mainland Spain, has deep historical roots in the Canary Islands. While it is best known as the primary grape of Sherry production in Jerez, the variety takes on a completely different personality in Tenerife’s volcanic soils. Unlike its typically neutral expression in fortified wines, Listán Blanco from Tenerife develops a remarkable complexity, offering layers of citrus, orchard fruit, and smoky, flinty minerality. In Trenzado, Suertes del Marqués employs a mix of aging techniques, including old foudres and concrete tanks, to enhance texture without overwhelming the wine’s purity.

The 2022 Trenzado showcases the best of this unique terroir, offering aromas of ripe pear, lemon zest, and subtle white flowers, interwoven with hints of crushed stone and sea spray. On the palate, it is vibrant yet richly textured, with a backbone of acidity that carries through to a long, saline finish. This is a wine that rewards both contemplation and food pairing—its depth makes it a natural match for seafood, grilled octopus, or Canarian specialties like salted cod with mojo sauce.

Suertes del Marqués 2022 Trenzado is a rewarding experience. It highlights not just the potential of Listán Blanco but also the magic of Tenerife’s viticulture— old vines, volcanic soils, and skilled hands coming together to produce something truly special. Whether you are a lover of mineral-driven whites, a fiend for Palomino Fino based wines, or just an explorer of lesser-known wine regions, this bottle offers a journey to one of the most fascinating corners of the wine world.

La Floridita 2022 Listan Negro Tenerife Regular Price: $31.99 Club Price: $27.19 Buy Now

We admit to it: our staff got island fever after choosing a Listan Blanco for the white wine in this club, and we decided to stay on Tenerife, the island of dramatic volcanic landscapes and centuries-old vines, for the red as well. While white wines made of Listán Blanco (the other wine in the club this month) often steal the spotlight, the island’s reds—crafted from the indigenous Listán Negro—are just as, if not more compelling. La Floridita, made from this unique variety, is a striking example of how Tenerife’s extreme terroir shapes vibrant, mineral-driven red wines. 

Grown on the steep slopes of Tenerife’s northern coast, the vines for La Floridita thrive in volcanic soils that impart a signature smoky minerality to the wine. The island’s high-altitude vineyards, some over 500 meters above sea level, benefit from the cooling influence of the Atlantic trade winds, which help moderate temperatures and preserve acidity in the grapes. The result is a wine that balances bright, fresh fruit with an underlying earthiness—hallmarks of Tenerife’s distinct microclimate. The region’s traditional cordón trenzado vine training system, where vines are woven into long, braided strands, further enhances ripening by optimizing sun exposure and airflow (see image above for a visual).

Listán Negro, Tenerife’s flagship red grape, is believed to be a descendant of Listán Prieto, one of the original Spanish varieties brought to the New World. Unlike its more structured and tannic relatives, Listán Negro tends to produce wines that are light in body but packed with character. It often shows flavors of tart red berries, black pepper, and subtle herbal notes, with a volcanic smokiness that makes it unmistakably Canarian. In La Floridita 2022, the grape’s natural freshness is preserved through gentle winemaking, including fermentation with native yeasts and aging in neutral vessels to highlight its pure, unadulterated expression.

The 2022 vintage of the La Floridita bursts with aromas of wild strawberries, pomegranate, and dried herbs, underscored by a faint hint of ash and iron from the volcanic soils. On the palate, it is energetic and silky, with a lively acidity that keeps the fruit flavors lifted, leading into a long, slightly savory finish. With its combination of delicacy and depth, this wine is perfect for pairing with grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or traditional Canarian dishes like papas arrugadas with mojo sauce. Its low tannins and bright acidity also make it an excellent choice for those who enjoy Pinot Noir or Gamay but are looking for something off the beaten path.

For those of you eager to explore the the reds of the Canary Islands, La Floridita is an outstanding introduction, yet it won't disappoint the seasoned Island wine lover. It's not as "funky" as past installments of Listan Negro in the club (think Araucaria), but it has enough "glou glou" to also not disappoint those of you who like a touch of natty along with a ton of fruit.  No matter what, this wine captures the raw beauty of Tenerife’s volcanic landscape and the love and deep-rooted traditions of its wine growers and makers. Maybe stay on the island with us and pair this with a pungent cheese from a neighboring island like Majorero or Cabra al Gofio or venture to make the famous Mojo Verde or Mojo Rojo (recipe by none other than Jose Andres), simply served with grilled meat skewers and boiled new potatoes.