Envinate
Summary
Envínate is a collaborative project of four enology friends who produce small-batch wines from old, ungrafted vines in Tenerife's volcanic terroirs, focusing primarily on indigenous varieties like Listán Negro, Listán Blanco, and Negramoll. Their minimal-intervention approach honors traditional methods—including hand harvesting, foot treading, native yeast fermentations, and aging in neutral vessels—while their innovative work with forgotten vineyards has revitalized interest in the Canary Islands' ancient winemaking heritage.
Heritage & Leadership
Envínate, which translates to "Wine Yourself" in Spanish, was established in 2005 by four friends who met while studying enology at the University of Miguel Hernández in Alicante. The founding team consists of Roberto Santana, Alfonso Torrente, Laura Ramos, and José Ángel Martínez, who continue to lead the project collaboratively today. What began as a consulting project evolved into a winemaking venture focused on exploring Atlantic-influenced terroirs across Spain, with particular emphasis on the Canary Islands.
The group operates as a collective rather than a traditional winery, without a central facility. Instead, they maintain separate operations in their respective regions, with Roberto Santana overseeing production in the Canary Islands, specifically on the island of Tenerife. Since their founding, Envínate has expanded their work to include sites in Ribeira Sacra, Extremadura, and Almansa, though their Canary Islands wines have garnered particular attention for highlighting the unique volcanic terroirs and indigenous varieties of this remote archipelago.
Vineyards & Wines
In the Canary Islands, Envínate works primarily with vineyards in northern and northwestern Tenerife. Their parcels are located in two main areas: Taganana in the northeastern Anaga Peninsula and Santiago del Teide in the northwest. The vineyards in Taganana sit at elevations between 75-300 meters above sea level, featuring steep slopes of volcanic soils mixed with sand and clay. In Santiago del Teide, the vineyards reach higher elevations of 1,000-1,200 meters, with black volcanic soils rich in minerals.
A distinguishing characteristic of these vineyards is their old, ungrafted vines, as the phylloxera louse never reached the Canary Islands. Many of the vines are 70-100+ years old and are trained in traditional systems, often in the unique braided cordon style called "cordon trenzado." The primary varieties cultivated include Listán Negro, Listán Blanco (Palomino), Negramoll, Baboso Negro, Vijariego Negro, and Tintilla, all indigenous to the islands or long-established there.
Their Canary Islands portfolio includes several site-specific wines, such as "Benje" from Santiago del Teide, "Migan" and "Palo Blanco" from the Orotava Valley, and "Táganan" from the Anaga Peninsula. Each wine is produced in limited quantities, typically between 1,000-3,000 bottles per cuvée.
Philosophy & Practice
Envínate's approach centers on minimal intervention winemaking with a focus on expressing the distinctive character of each vineyard site. In the vineyard, they work with small farmers who maintain traditional farming methods, many of whom have tended these plots for generations. The team emphasizes manual labor, with all grapes harvested by hand due to the steep, terraced terrain that prohibits mechanization.
In the cellar, their techniques include foot treading of grapes, native yeast fermentations, and minimal sulfur additions. Many of their red wines undergo whole-cluster fermentation in open-top vats, while whites typically see direct pressing followed by fermentation in neutral vessels. Aging occurs primarily in neutral oak barrels and concrete tanks for periods of 8-11 months, allowing the volcanic minerality and varietal character to remain prominent.
The group bottles their wines unfined and unfiltered, with each label identifying the specific vineyard, elevation, and soil type. Their production methods deliberately avoid modern technology in favor of traditional practices that have historically been used on the islands. This approach has resulted in wines that have helped bring international attention to the unique viticultural heritage of the Canary Islands, a region with over 500 years of winemaking history that had been largely overlooked in the modern wine world.