The introduction of the wine in Canaries goes back to the XVII century and had so a good quality like the first wines which came from the north of Tenerife, in fact, the writer William Shakespeare mentioned them several times in his drama and comedies. Despite the outstanding exports from the XVII and XVIII, the vine lost its importance and weight of the island economy from the XIX century; in the XX century the banana crops and, afterwards, the coast urban development, reduced the wine growing production to the local consumption.
Nevertheless, in these last years, it has taken place a splendid renewal of this sector. The first Regulatory Board of the Canary Islands was the one of the region of Tacoronte – Acentejo, in Tenerife, in 1922, which helped to encourage an agricultural activity under an almost testimonial consideration. According to the official data, the Archipielago counts on 10 marks of origin, and nearby 10.500 vine growers, with 224 wine cellards and extension of 11.127 hectares. The most common varieties are those of white, black “listán”, “negramol”, white outsider, “breval” and muscatel. Their production went beyond the seven millions kilos of grapes.
Tenerife counts on five marks of origin:
O.M. Tacoronte – Acentejo: situated in the north aea of the island, it is the widest region and the one of the largest density of vineyards with more than 1.800 hectares. The wines are mainly young red wines, well gathered about taste and with an remarkable fruit scent. In a reduced proportion there are also in ellaboration, white and rose, young, of a very current style.
O.M. Icoden – Daute – Isora: it dates from the year 1994, it comprises the Tinerfeño north – western and it is one of the most steemed of the islands, there is a short production of sweet wines, obtained from malmsay and muscatel.
O.M. Güimar Valley: situated in the south of the island, it was in 1996 when the mark of origin regulations were ratified. The grapes are predominantly white and it constitutes a Tinerfeña region which reaches a height above sea level of 1.600 metres.
O.M. Abona: situated in the region of the same name in the southern slope.
O.M. Orotava Valley: it is raised at the foot of El Teide, comprises the municipal districts of the Valley – La Orotava, Los Realejos and Puerto de la Cru – and counts on eleven varieties of white grapes, seven of the red ones, with wines which have been rewarded in international contests.
Gran Canaria counts on the last two marks of origin:
O.M. Gran canaria: it comprises almost all the island, dut the region of Monte Lentiscal, with more than 200 vine propietors and over 30 vine cellars.
D.O. Monte Lentiscal: Es la zona con mayor arraigo vitivinícola, distribuida entre Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Brígida y Telde.
In the other islands there are the following marks of origin:
O.M. Lanzarote: the vines spread out the volcanic ground of the island, among those La Geria is the most remarkable, where the plant grows inside open hollows covered with sand and protected from the wind by stones walls. The young white wines and the dry mamsay one are the most outstndig.
O.M. La Palma: it is famous since the XVI century because of its vine exports, its mark of origin includes the whole island, between the height of 200 and 1200 metres above the sea level and it produces whhite, red and rose wines of considerable quality and, specially, the highly – esteemed mamsay wines.
O.M. El Hierro: In this O.M. it is ellaborated the white wines with a strenght body; fruitful rose wines with a consistant result and orange shades; and red wines with a intense colouring, strong, with consistency and a warn taste.
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