A wine fan in Tenerife

Tenerife?! Isn't that tanning in the sun among British pubs? Drinking tequila on graduation trips? German seniors wintering because the sun is so beneficial for aching joints? Um, yeah, maybe. But I'd like to show you another side of Tenerife: the fantastic wines. Last year, I spent a few weeks at a language school on the Canary Islands learning Spanish. And learning about the wine, of course.

Special: the volcanic soil

The Canary Islands lie off the Moroccan coast, but are Spanish. The islands in the Atlantic Ocean have volcanic soil. This was proven by the recently erupted volcano on the island of La Palma. The consequences were as spectacular as they were disastrous to witness. This isolated location in the ocean and the volcanic soil are important for viticulture. Thanks to this location, the grape aphid For example, it never reached the Canary Islands. While vineyards on the European mainland and in much of the rest of the world were almost entirely eradicated, those on the Canary Islands were spared. Wonderful! Because that's what produces centuries-old varieties and beautiful old vines.

The wines of Tenerife

Tenerife has five Designations of Origin : five protected designations of origin. And within them, wines are made from all sorts of grapes. Sometimes well-known, but much more often unknown, which makes it extra fun to explore. The Canary Islands once became famous for wines made from the super-aromatic Malvasía grape. Malvasía wine is made dry ( seco ), semi-sweet ( afrutado ), or sweet ( dulce ). Other common grapes are Listán Blanco and Listán Negro. The former is known in southern Spain as Palomino Fino: the grape for sherry. Incidentally, they don't use that production method here, so just drink it as you normally would. seco or afrutado . v

Anyway, enough theory. Go discover it for yourself. I have three great tips for the north of Tenerife. Are you going to follow them? Then choose a place to stay in the charming town of Puerto de la Cruz. The town itself is a great place to have a good time, and it's the best base for my tips.

Sleeping in Tenerife
Extra tips from Le Club. A 15-minute drive from Puerto de la Cruz you will find Hacienda el Terrero – one look at the photos and you're sold. Are you with a large group? Then Villa Esplendida Really fantastic. Large villa, good kitchen and a lovely private pool. What more could you want? Another option is Alberto Houses or Finca Vista Bonita (of bonita view of the vineyards) in San Miguel de Abona.

The best wine bar in Tenerife

If you are in the north of Tenerife, you must go to Vinoteca Con Pasión In Puerto de la Cruz. This is without a doubt the best wine bar in Tenerife, and honestly, one of the nicest wine bars I've ever visited. I can't count the number of times I've been here on two hands anymore. Con Pasión has at least 100 different Canary Islands wines, plus a nice selection from the mainland, and many are available by the glass. Well, they've got me!

The three owners are Dutch, but don't expect any "Friet van Piet" vibe. They're knowledgeable, approachable, and even have tapas that many other restaurants could learn a thing or two from. There are also plenty of locals in the bar. This vinoteca is one of those wine bars where you give the sommelier free rein. So I did: I stopped ordering. I suspect the sommelier is keeping a list of what I've already drunk, because he always manages to pour me something new. This is the best wine bar in Tenerife. Don't come back from that island without having been!

The wine museum

A museum boring? Well, they also have a "wet" collection here. At the Casa del Vino in the town of El Sauzal, you'll find a good restaurant with a spectacular view, a wine bar and shop, and a small wine museum. And that combination makes it worth a visit. Don't expect a huge museum, but it does offer a rather interesting glimpse into the origins and variety of Tenerife's wines. I was done in half an hour, but hey: it's free.

Nothing is as important as putting what you've learned into practice: so let's head straight to the courtyard of the beautiful old building. There you can sit down and enjoy some local wines. The selection of about ten wines available by the glass changes monthly. A perfect opportunity to discover wines from small wineries.

If you'd like to extend your trip to Casa del Vino, dine at the fantastic restaurant in the other wing of the building. You'll find truly excellent Canarian cuisine there, and you'll have a truly stunning ocean view. The restaurant is popular, and I've already missed out twice on a whim. Reservations are essential.

Visit a bodega

It's also fun to visit a winery. There are countless in Tenerife. I found Bodegas Monje in El Sauzal a nice one: big enough to be really equipped for visitors, small enough not to make it an impersonal visit.

I took an extensive tour of the vineyards. The tour is enjoyable whether you know little about wine or have some prior knowledge. The details about Tenerife's viticulture make it even more interesting. The view from the vineyards is spectacular. On one side, you see the ocean, and on the other, the peak of Spain's highest mountain: Mount Teide.

Do you love volcanic vibes in your wine? Then try wines from Suertes del Marques and Atlante . It's like a volcano in your glass: energetic, juicy, and smoky.

The wines of Envínate are also not to be missed. Four winemakers who work together in various locations in Spain, including the Canary Islands, to produce exciting wines.

We also visited the cellar, and besides the beautiful barrels, something else caught our eye: a large banner promoting wine&sex. Once a month, the bodega hosts an evening with a sensual show while you taste their wines. And honestly, it looks super classy. I haven't managed to attend one of those evenings yet. Will you? Let me know how it was!

Anyway, the tour ended with a lovely tasting, of course, and I went back later to try some other wines. What's a must-try? Try the Tintalla 2013, made from the grape of the same name. Beautiful wine. It's in a completely different league, but I also really liked the Hollera. It's made from Listán Negro grapes using the carbonic maceration method. Wonderfully fruity wine!

On to Tenerife

With these three tips, you'll really have something fun to do Tenerife . These are my top three. Success guaranteed! I've visited many other places on this island, including some that were simply disappointing. Going on your own and want more tips? Feel free to get in touch!

The CO2 emissions from our travels are offset.