First Release: Jable de Tao & Bien de Altura 2024

One of Bien de Altura’s single vineyard wines, Tidao means 'union', a reference to the field blend, and is made predominantly from local varieties led by listan negro, reaching altitudes of 1100m above sea level. The precarious terrain is a patchwork of steep slopes and flatter ground, formed by a geological avalanche that created breccia soil consisting of chunks of large rock fragments embedded in clay and silt. The mix of large fragments and finer-grained material makes it well-draining while also holding in moisture and humidity, adding to the balance and concentration of the wine. Carmelo Peña Santana ferments with indigenous yeasts in 100% whole bunches in open top vats for 35 days and then ages the wine in large, used French oak barrels. The result is a pale yet impressively complex red, bursting with tension and aromatic intensity. Sweet red cherry and cranberry fruit is balanced with savoury, peppery spice and aromas of dried rose petals. The palate is tense and silky with some unexpected grip, making it a great wine for the dinner table, perhaps some Asian cuisine. Drink this year to 2034. 12%

Sansofi means 'welcome' in the local Berber language, a fitting name for the first vineyard Carmelo worked after years of searching for the perfect site. This single-parcel wine comes from a 90-year-old plot, and is the most personal expression in the Bien de Altura range. The vineyard lies on a medium-steep north-facing slope at around 1,350m above sea level, planted mainly to listán negro (around 80%), with the balance from listán prieto and a small proportion of old white varieties. The soils here are unmistakably volcanic, dominated by picón – eroded black volcanic stone that has broken down into sand – alongside clay and silt, forcing the roots deep to bring a distinct mineral backbone to this wine. Like the others, Carmelo uses 100% whole-bunch fermentation and a long maceration of around 35 days before going into neutral barrels. The most structured of the trio, Sansofi needs time to open, but reveals bracing acidity, crunchy sour cherry fruit and a long, savoury, mineral finish. Drink this year to 2034. 11.5%

'Ikewen’ means origin in the native Berber language, a nod to the origins of the founder of the estate’s dream: to make a village wine from the mountainous parcels of San Mateo, at the very heart of the project. Here, at an average altitude of 1,300m – so high they’re often working above the clouds – the vineyards benefit from cooler temperatures and relentless winds, making organic, low-intervention farming not just possible but natural. The ungrafted 90-year-old vines grow on volcanic soils and are dominated by listán negro, with touches of listán prieto and native white grapes. Winemaker Carmelo works with minimal intervention: whole-bunch fermentation in stainless steel, a small proportion of which is then aged in large barrels, and with no added sulphur until just before bottling. The wine is bright and delicate with perfumed strawberry and cherry fruit, hints of white pepper and pot-pourri, and a gentle mineral streak. Elegant, aromatic and effortlessly drinkable, it’s a sophisticated expression of Gran Canaria’s high-altitude viticulture. Drink this year to 2031. 11.5%

Malvasía volcánica at its most saline, which is no surprise given the vineyards are less than two kilometres from the Atlantic, on Lanzarote’s rugged western coast. Tenesar is the name of this centenary plot, planted on a mix of marine sands (jable), sedimentary limestone, and decomposed volcanic material, and it produces less than 1,000 bottles a year. After an early manual harvest, whole bunches are softly pressed, then transferred to 500-litre barrels for eight months of aging plus time in concrete eggs. The result is a thrillingly bracing white that crackles with acidity and coastal energy. The palate is taut and electric with citrus and subtle honeyed undertones that lend depth. A touch of reduction brings flinty, smoky complexity while the finish is so mouth-watering and saline that you can almost taste the ocean spray. Drink from 2027 to 2033. 12%

Diego refers to the very rare grape variety that was almost lost to extinction were it not for Carmelo and a handful of others on the island. Producing fewer than 1,200 bottles, this incredibly difficult grape to work is native to the Juan Bello mountain range and, here, is sourced from three separate plots of vines over 100 years old, planted in the fascinating volcanic rofe soil pits in La Geria. There’s an obvious smokiness to the wine, with pithy lemon zest, faint hints of mango and white peach, and a lovely creamy, almost glyceric weight and texture. Acidity is slightly lower than malvasia volcánica, but the wine remains high in energy with stony, smoky minerality. A real rare gem from the curious volcanic soils of Lanzarote. Drink this year to 2032. 11%