letuffeau.com
(Link)
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Envinate
Tenerife, Islas Canarias
“I remember it being … almost blindingly vibrant, akin to staring at the sun but in your mouth. Umm … it was pretty fucking reductive too, from memory, and like licking a massive slab of basalt exposed to Sirocco winds and sea spray. Looking at it blind I had no idea what it was. But whatever it was, it was mad.”
— Nick
“It’s 10.00am and Nick and I are shouting adjectives and expletives at each other.
Gripping. Vexing. Visceral. (And others, most unsuitable for publication …)
How do we convince people that this tiny volcanic island off the coast of the disputed territory of Western Sahara produces some of the most singular, most phenomenal wines in the world. Wines that elicit more of a haptic response from the imbiber than intellectual reflection.
We could leave it to the expert, Luis Guttierez (of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate), who has sampled and written about this project for the past decade, and has just awarded the below three wines 98+, 99, & 100pts.* We could provide a photo of the incredible parcela (vineyard) where gnarly vines grow straight out of the basalt-black cliffsides.** We could even provide our own expletive laden notes.***
We have taken the three-pronged approach; these are wines of truly immense character and merit. Quantities strictly limited.”
— David
*see below
**see further below
***see even further below
I
Envinate 2023 Tenerife Blanco ‘Palo Blanco’
(Shelf Price: $72.00)
Offer: $62.00
“The grapes for the 2023 Palo Blanco were harvested earlier than ever, picked even earlier than the grapes from Taganana. It was a warm year, but the wine feels more like it's from a cool climate; it has a moderate 11.5% alcohol and is volcanic and less reductive than in previous years, fine-boned and sharp, with a vibrant palate, effervescent acidity (7.1 grams and a pH of 3.05) and a dry chalkiness that gives it salinity. It's approachable but should also age in bottle. 13,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2024.”
98+pts — Luis Guttierez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Order here
(Link)
also available
~ please note: the below magnum is available only by reply email ~
Envinate 2023 Tenerife Blanco ‘Palo Blanco’ (MAGNUM)
Offer: $145.00
“Only 6 magnums of this wine for the country.”
— David
I
(Link) I
Envinate 2023 Tenerife Blanco ‘Palo Blanco Las Molinas’
(Shelf Price: $145.00)
Offer: $123.00
“The second vintage of the 2023 Palo Blanco Las Molinas is quite similar to the regular Palo Blanco from the same year: saline, sharp and with great purity, precision and cleanliness. This matured in a Garbelotto 2,500-liter oak foudre. It has a moderate 11.5% alcohol, a pH of 3.01 and 7.48 grams of acidity. It's vibrant, full of energy and electricity, with effervescent freshness and volcanic minerality. This is very young but has the elements and the balance to age neatly in bottle. 2,500 bottles were filled in July 2024.”
99pts — Luis Guttierez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Order here
(Link)
III
Envinate 2023 Tenerife Tinto ‘Taganan Parcela Margalagua’
(Shelf Price: $145.00)
Offer: $123.00
“The 2023 Táganan Parcela Margalagua resembles the 2021, perhaps with a little more elegance and depth. They have lowered the use of powder sulfur in the vineyards and they select finer lees for the aging of the wines in barrel; they feel all that has helped to avoid the reductive character in the wine, even if you always have the natural tendency of the volcanic soils. It's a symphony of rose petals, cracked pepper, wet pumice stone and volcanic ash. It's medium to full-bodied, very fine-boned, with fine-grained tannins, with clout, power and concentration and gobsmacking balance. It has 12% alcohol, with a pH of 3.35 and 6.18 grams of acidity. It might have similar acidity and parameters, but the sense of freshness, acid berries and blood orange peel is higher. Bravo! 2,300 bottles were filled in July 2024.
I later tasted the 2023 blind with the 2021 vintage, and both wines showed some reductive personalities. They both needed to breathe, and they improved over the course of one day. The 2023 feels more floral and elegant, but the wines are of similar quality—to me, the finest two vintages of this unique wine.”
100pts — Luis Guttierez, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Order here
(Link)
“I can’t think of anything else to say other than: it’s fucking unreal wine.”
— Nick (on the 2022 Palo Blanco)
pictured below: cordon trenzado vines in the Palo vineyard
(wines I and II are grown here)
[image credit: Thomas Robertson, Alimentaria]
If you would like any of the above, would like to come by for a private appointment, or just have some questions — please let us know.