The triumph of heroic Canarian viticulture

The Canarian wineries awarded in the 32nd edition of the “Mondial des Vins Extrêmes 2024”, organized by CERVIM (Research Center, Studies, Protection, Coordination and Valorization of Mountain Viticulture) received today, in an event held at the El Sauzal Wine House (Tenerife), the accrediting diplomas of the 56 medals (12 big gold medals and 44 gold medals), as well as the five special distinctions obtained within the framework of this international competition, celebrated the days 29 y 30 September 2024 in the Italian town of Saarland, located in the Aosta Valley, with the participation of more than a thousand wines made in mountainous regions, rugged terrain or small islands in around thirty countries.

The Minister of Agriculture, Cattle raising, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, and the vice president of CERVIM, Manuel Capote, accompanied by the director of the Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), Luis Arraez Guadalupe, They presented these recognitions to the 25 distinguished island companies, throughout an event in which the mayor of El Sauzal also participated, Mariano Perez, the CEO of GMR Canarias, Juan Antonio Alonso, the counselor of the Primary Sector of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Valentín González Évora and the Minister of Rural and Marine Environment of the Cabildo of El Hierro, David Cabrera.

During the awards ceremony, Narvay Quintero highlighted that “These awards constitute another example of the exceptional quality of the productions of our primary sector., which deserve special recognition because they are the result of the so-called heroic viticulture, that is to say, They occur under particularly difficult conditions”. “These conditions at the same time give a unique character to our wines., that have earned a well-deserved reputation in international forums and competitions, where they are measured with elaborations from all over the world”, added.

In addition, Manuel Capote pointed out that “This edition of the contest has been marked by a record participation with more than 300 operators, among them the winemakers and winegrowers of the Canary Islands, who have obtained the 17,2% of the total medals awarded, plus five distinctions, which represents a large percentage and places the archipelago as an emblem and banner of heroic viticulture in the world.”. “The archipelago also has outstanding recognitions such as the best wine of the contest and the best wine from free-standing viticulture., among other distinctions”, added.

For your part, Luis Arráez Guadalupe indicated that “At the ICCA, each year we increase the presence and participation of wines and other agri-food products from the Canary Islands in meetings held outside the islands with the aim of placing the productions of the primary sector of the archipelago in a global showcase.”. In this sense, he recalled that said autonomous body has provided support to the productions participating in this event by assuming the registration and sending of the samples that were gathered in the Official Agrocanarias Contest., organized annually by the ICCA.

In addition to achieving 56 medals of the 300 awarded in this contest, The Canary Islands won the '2024 Mondial Vins Extremes Award', as the wine region with the highest number of participating productions, as well as the 'Cervim Special Award’ to the most prominent winery in Spain, that fell on Lineage of Payment (DOP Canary Islands) by achieving the highest score as a result of the sum of scores in three different categories.

Besides, the Malvasía Volcánica Papaino 2023 from Gavias del Sordo Wineries, in Fuerteventura (DOP Canary Islands), It was the most distinguished production of the competition, given that, in addition to receiving the 'Cervim Grand Prize’ to the best wine of the date (with a score of 97,33 about 100), obtained the special distinctions ‘Premio Cervim Originale’ for production made with ungrafted vineyards and 'Vinofed Award'’ best rated dry, as well as a big gold medal.

In total, Twelve Canarian wines were recognized with a large gold medal, among them the aforementioned Malvasía Volcánica Papaino, in addition to the Malvasía Payment Lineage 2022, from Bodega Linaje del Pago; Conatvs Slimy Black 2023, from Bodegas Conatvs; and Gallo La Exception Syrah 2021, from Bodega Gallo & Quiquere Wines, all of them from the Canary Islands DOP.

The Crater Joven wine also received a large gold medal. 2023, from Bodegas Crater (DOP Tacoronte Acentejo); Mists of Ayosa Malvasía Aromática 2023, from the SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar (Güímar Valley DOP); Moscatel Orange Wine 2022 from Bodegas El Grifo (PDO Lanzarote) and VSQ The Ecological Ancestral Tap 2023; Miracle of Magmasia Collection 2022 and Obsidian Light 2022, from Bodega Erupción (PDO Lanzarote); Great Sweet White Salmor 2017 of Campo Frontera Cooperative Society (DOP Wines El Hierro); y, finally, Payments of Fruity White Reverón 2023, from Bodega Reverón (DOP Abona).

Besides, The winners of the gold medal were Gallo Double Malvasía 2022 and Alejandro Gallo Vijariego Black and Tintilla 12M 2022, both from Bodega Gallo & Quiquere Wine; Off White 2023, Payment Lineage; The Lomo Disparate 2023, The Selected Harvest Loin 2023, Spine Twelve and One 2021, and the Listán Negro Loin 2023, from Bodegas El Lomo; Landscape of the Tenerife Islands 2023, from Bodegas Tajinaste; Red Pago de Los Cercados 2023 and Payment of Los Cercados Albillo Criollo 2023, by Emilio Tomás Palmero García; Dry White Martial Cho Peak 2023, from SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar- Arafo; y Brut Blanc de Blancs 2022, from Bodegas Tabares 4, all of them from the Canary Islands DOP.

Besides, Among the productions of the Tacoronte-Acentejo DOP, the Marba Rosado wines were awarded a gold medal 2022 and Marba White Barrel, from Bodegas Marba; Traditional Pago and Carmine Red Lineage 2022, from Bodega Linaje del Pago; Crater Breeding, from Bodegas Crater; Viña Norte Traditional Red 2023, Viña Norte Dry White 2023, from Bodegas Insulares de Tenerife; Hacienda de Acentejo Listán Negro 2023 and Serventía 2023, from Hacienda de Acentejo Winery; and Jable 2023, from Guayonje Winery.

Among the Abona PDO productions, the Listán wines won the gold medal. 1414 of Height 2021, from Mencey de Chasna Winery: Payments of Traditional White Reverón 2023 and Tinto Los Quemados, from Bodega Reverón; Arese Blanco Seco 2023 y Arese Red Barrel 2023, from Bodega Viña Arese; Testament Malvasia Aromatic Dry 2023, Marmajuelo Premium White Chasna Flower 2023, Chasna Albillo Premium Flower 2023 and Chasna White Passion Flower 2023, of Cumbres de Abona Cooperative Society; and Listán Negro Chasnero 2023 and Abona Blanco Chasnero 2023, from Bodegas Lacasmi.

Within the Valle de Güímar DOP they were awarded a gold medal, Mists of Ayosa Marmajuelo 2023, Ayosa Blanco Mists on Lees 2023, Dry White Ayosa Mists 2023, from SAT Viticultores de Güímar-Arafo.

In addition, They also received the Lágrima gold medal 2023 and Martinón Blanco Seco 2023, from Bodegas Martinón (PDO Lanzarote); Sweet Tirajanas 2023, from Bodegas Las Tirajanas (DOP Gran Canaria); Tágara Marmajuelo on Lías 2023, from Bodegas Insulares de Tenerife (DOP Ycoden Daure Isora), Organic White Tagalguén 2023, by Juan Jesús Pérez Adrián (Dop the palm tree); and Vera Pinto 2021, from El Mirador de Adra (DOP El Hierro).

Besides, The prizes awarded within the scope of the 4th edition of the International Contest of Heroic Distillates were also awarded., the parallel competition dedicated to spirits of wine origin organized by CERVIM. In this case, two Canarian preparations won a gold medal: the Güímar Valley White Vermouth 2023, of SAT Winegrowers Region of Guímar-Arafo; and Grape Pomace Spirits 2021, from Bodegas Insulares Tenerife, standing out as the only two Spanish productions awarded.