Envinate: Spanish Forerunners
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Since first discovering the wines of Envinate in 2019, we’ve been madly in love. The wines buzz with energy, capturing the terroir of their respective regions as if by magic. The methods of this group of winemakers, friends Alfonso Torrente, José Ángel Martínez, Laura Ramos, and Roberto Santana, are low-intervention in the winery and an ultra-traditional, minimalist approach in the vineyards. They are one of the forerunners of the “New Spanish” wine movement.
It’s worth emphasizing how profoundly this movement has impacted Spain’s image in the world of wine. Before, Rioja was essentially shorthand for Spanish wine and all other regions seemed to follow suit with big, ripe flavors, high alcohol, and so, so much oak. In the last couple of decades, an alternative style has arisen, eschewing the fat for finesse.
Though less individually famous than the other leading figures in this new Spanish winemaking movement, such as Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz of Familia Nin-Ortiz, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia of Comando G, and Raúl Pérez Pereira of Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, their impact has been profound. To quote wine writer Megan Krigbaum of Punch Magazine, “While winemaking driven by these ideals [of old-school and low-intervention management in the vineyard and winery] is commonplace in many parts of Italy and France—where the natural wine movement is manifest—Spain has been slower to adopt a less-is-more aesthetic over the ‘Big Flavor’ (i.e. ripe, excessively oaked) wines that came to define its wine culture. Envinate, for many buyers, is today’s best representation of the alternative. The wines have an undeniable transparency.” Vintage after vintage, this winery’s fame has only grown, and their already world-class quality somehow continues to improve.
Today, we’re featuring wines from the Canary Islands, the Ribeira Sacra, and the Levant. The bottlings labeled “Chingao” are collaborative project with American importer José Pastor and made as natural wines, with lower intervention and no sulfur added at bottling.
Despite being warm, tropical islands, the Canaries are home to several wine-growing regions, particularly along the foggy cliffs and slopes that line the Atlantic Ocean along the northern coastline on the main island, Tenerefe. Roberto Santana takes the lead for Envinate here, having consulted with Suertes del Marques and having extensive knowledge of the ancient vines, terroir, and local varieties.
In the sub-region of Táganan, the friends work with local growers that farm a collection of wild and scattered vineyards across this rugged terrain. These are ancient vines planted in the volcanic rock along the steeply terraced cliffs that run along ocean. The Orotava Valley wines, Palo Blanco and Migan, represent a cooler region along the northern slope of the Teide volcano. Here the Listan Blanco (white, also known as Palomino) and Listan Negro (red) vines are trained in the traditional “cordon trenzado” style of braiding the vines along the rows.
The Ribeira Sacra wines are composed of ancient native vines of mostly Mencía co-planted with other varietals. The vines are ancient, starting at 60-years-old at minimum with single vineyard bottlings going well up from there. These are excellent examples of what this profound and profoundly Spanish grape can do. Much like Terre Nere’s work with indigenous Sicilian grapes, Envinate’s Mencía can give international superstars like Syrah and Pinot Noir a run for their money.
The “Albahra” wines from the Levant within the Castilla-La Mancha, along the middle of the eastern coast. They are Garnacha Tintorera-based, aka Alicante Bouchet. This grape is one of the few grape varieties to have red juice. Aromatically, it is somewhere in the realm of Grenache and Syrah, though typically done in a lighter style, especially chez Envinate.
Envinate has drawn international praise and attention, with particular notice from Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate and multiple reviewers at James Suckling. Their wines are highly sought-after by collectors for their authenticity and ability to capture the terroir of these two profound regions. These are fascinating, age-worthy expressions of “New Spain” wines that are not to be missed, especially not at these prices.
It’s worth emphasizing how profoundly this movement has impacted Spain’s image in the world of wine. Before, Rioja was essentially shorthand for Spanish wine and all other regions seemed to follow suit with big, ripe flavors, high alcohol, and so, so much oak. In the last couple of decades, an alternative style has arisen, eschewing the fat for finesse.
Though less individually famous than the other leading figures in this new Spanish winemaking movement, such as Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz of Familia Nin-Ortiz, Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia of Comando G, and Raúl Pérez Pereira of Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez, their impact has been profound. To quote wine writer Megan Krigbaum of Punch Magazine, “While winemaking driven by these ideals [of old-school and low-intervention management in the vineyard and winery] is commonplace in many parts of Italy and France—where the natural wine movement is manifest—Spain has been slower to adopt a less-is-more aesthetic over the ‘Big Flavor’ (i.e. ripe, excessively oaked) wines that came to define its wine culture. Envinate, for many buyers, is today’s best representation of the alternative. The wines have an undeniable transparency.” Vintage after vintage, this winery’s fame has only grown, and their already world-class quality somehow continues to improve.
Today, we’re featuring wines from the Canary Islands, the Ribeira Sacra, and the Levant. The bottlings labeled “Chingao” are collaborative project with American importer José Pastor and made as natural wines, with lower intervention and no sulfur added at bottling.
Despite being warm, tropical islands, the Canaries are home to several wine-growing regions, particularly along the foggy cliffs and slopes that line the Atlantic Ocean along the northern coastline on the main island, Tenerefe. Roberto Santana takes the lead for Envinate here, having consulted with Suertes del Marques and having extensive knowledge of the ancient vines, terroir, and local varieties.
In the sub-region of Táganan, the friends work with local growers that farm a collection of wild and scattered vineyards across this rugged terrain. These are ancient vines planted in the volcanic rock along the steeply terraced cliffs that run along ocean. The Orotava Valley wines, Palo Blanco and Migan, represent a cooler region along the northern slope of the Teide volcano. Here the Listan Blanco (white, also known as Palomino) and Listan Negro (red) vines are trained in the traditional “cordon trenzado” style of braiding the vines along the rows.
The Ribeira Sacra wines are composed of ancient native vines of mostly Mencía co-planted with other varietals. The vines are ancient, starting at 60-years-old at minimum with single vineyard bottlings going well up from there. These are excellent examples of what this profound and profoundly Spanish grape can do. Much like Terre Nere’s work with indigenous Sicilian grapes, Envinate’s Mencía can give international superstars like Syrah and Pinot Noir a run for their money.The “Albahra” wines from the Levant within the Castilla-La Mancha, along the middle of the eastern coast. They are Garnacha Tintorera-based, aka Alicante Bouchet. This grape is one of the few grape varieties to have red juice. Aromatically, it is somewhere in the realm of Grenache and Syrah, though typically done in a lighter style, especially chez Envinate.
Envinate has drawn international praise and attention, with particular notice from Luis Gutierrez of the Wine Advocate and multiple reviewers at James Suckling. Their wines are highly sought-after by collectors for their authenticity and ability to capture the terroir of these two profound regions. These are fascinating, age-worthy expressions of “New Spain” wines that are not to be missed, especially not at these prices.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock wines from Envinate
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Envinate
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, July 23rd at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock wines from Envinate
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, July 23rd at 9 am Pacific.
We offer twenty-four options from Envinate on sale now, including:
Envinate Táganan Blanco, Tenerife 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2022 Táganan Blanco has a mellow nose with notes of ripe yellow fruit, dried flowers, aromatic herbs and crushed rocks. 2022 was extremely dry and delivered healthy grapes that were harvested early, and the wine kept a moderate 12% alcohol and very high acidity (7.1 grams) that give it a lively palate with citrus freshness and a very tasty, salty finish. This didn’t go through malolactic fermentation and matured in neutral barrels with lees for nine months. 3,200 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate Palo Blanco, Los Realejos, Tenerife 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98 points “The heat from late August didn’t affect much the grapes that were used for the 2022 Palo Blanco, as they are picked much later than the grapes from other zones of Tenerife. So, the 2022 vintage in Los Realejos is a lot fresher than in Taganana or La Orotava. In fact, I liked the palate of this 2022 better than that of the 2021; it’s vibrant, lovely and fresh. The nose is still a little reductive, and the notes of flowers and herbs take time to emerge. It was bottled in July 2023. 98, drink 2024-2030”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate Palo Blanco “Parcela Las Molinas”, Los Realejos, Tenerife 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 98+ points “The 2022 Palo Blanco Las Molinas is a new white from Los Realejos, a large plot of some 1.2 hectares of vines. In 2021, the grapes from this plot went into the Palo Blanco blend that they bottled in 2022. For the 2022 vintage, they bottled a 1,500-liter oak foudre separately to make this wine, and another 3,500 liters still went to the Palo Blanco blend. This has moderate alcohol, 11.5%, and very low pH and high acidity, unusual parameters for the variety, something that seems to come from the zone. It’s fresh, floral and expressive with just a spicy twist. It has a vibrant palate and a long, tasty, almost salty finish. There is a plus of complexity and finesse here. 1,988 bottles and 24 magnums were filled in July 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Envinate “Albahra,” Castilla-La Mancha 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $25.50, that’s $24.23 at 5% off and $22.95 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2022 Albahra is from a year of good quality and good quantity, when the blend was slightly different, 62% Garnacha Tintorera, 30% Moravia Agria, 5% Garnacha and 3% Pardillo, because they rented a vineyard where they also have white (Pardillo) grapes (they might produce a white in 2023). 2022 in the Mediterranean zone was a dry year but it was not as warm as in other zones of Spain, and they think it was the best year so far for the Moravia Agria. So, the wines have more freshness and more acidity. Another big change is that 2022 was the first year that was vinified in their new winery in the zone. So, it’s a much fresher wine than the 2021, which was a warmer year.”
Envinate “Migan Chingao” Tinto, Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife, Canary Islands 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $94.50, that’s $89.78 at 5% off and $85.05 at 10% off, 2 magnums in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2022 Migan Chingao was produced with Listán Negro grapes from cordón trenzado braided ancient vines from a 1.4-hectare vineyard called La Habanera in the Valle de la Orotava at 550 to 600 meters in altitude on bland basalt soils and a north-facing exposition. It fermented with 100% full clusters in concrete for 17 days and matured in a 4,200-liter concrete vat without racking or any added sulfur at any point of the process. It was bottled directly from the vat unfined and unfiltered to keep as much carbonic gas as possible, as it would act as preservative. It has a clean and precise nose, with some reductive character and no sign of evolution or deviation. It’s a textbook red from La Orotava with dried roses, black pepper and lapilli notes and a tasty palate and a dry and chalky finish. This is only sold in the US. 2,000 bottles and 24 magnums were filled in July 2023.”
Envinate Táganan Tinto, Tenerife 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 35 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94+ points “The just-bottled 2022 Táganan Tinto is juicy and primary but with very good balance and no excess. It has less reductive character and is sapid and balanced. They did slightly shorter macerations and used a little more full clusters for this wine. It’s a very good vintage for this bottling. It was bottled in July 2023. 94+, drink 2025-2030”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate La Santa de Ursula, Tacoronte-Acentejo, Tenerife 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 35 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2022 La Santa de Úrsula is balsamic and reveals notes of rose petals and talcum powder. The fruit is darker (riper), and it has a juicy palate with fine tannins and a long, lingering finish. 8,000 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2021 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Excellent depth with a vibrant lift of pepperiness to the wild and airy bramble fruit and minerality. Chalky and broad on the palate but really weightless with chalky tannins and a fresh, refined finish. Delicious now.”
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The sample of the 2022 Lousas Viñas de Aldea was in stainless steel, blended and sulfured and waiting to be bottled in a couple of months. Most 2022s are more immediate than the 2021s, and this is floral, perfumed and expressive, with a juicy and round palate. They now have more vineyards in general, so they compensated the lower yields with more land under vine. The 2022s have turned out fresher and cooler than what the conditions of the year pointed out. There will be some 25,000 bottles of this. Even though it’s a lower-yielding year, they had more vineyards.”
Envinate Lousas Doad, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94-95 points “The 2022 Doad Lousas is the second vintage of the village red. It comes from gneiss and schist soils from the traditional zone of the Sil and is warmer and riper, a textbook example of ripe Mencía fruit, an earlier zone with juicy wines. As with the rest of the 2022s, I tasted the wine after it had been blended and the sulfur adjusted, waiting in stainless steel to be bottled in a couple of months. It has the textbook floral and perfumed nose, quite fruit-driven, juicy and tasty, with some fine tannins that need a bit of time in bottle to get polished. They expect to fill some 3,300 bottles from a number of barrels of different sizes.”
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2022 La Santa de Úrsula is balsamic and reveals notes of rose petals and talcum powder. The fruit is darker (riper), and it has a juicy palate with fine tannins and a long, lingering finish. 8,000 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in July 2023.”
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2021 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Excellent depth with a vibrant lift of pepperiness to the wild and airy bramble fruit and minerality. Chalky and broad on the palate but really weightless with chalky tannins and a fresh, refined finish. Delicious now.”
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 24 bottles in stock now
Envinate Lousas Viñas de Aldea, Ribeira Sacra 2022 1.5L Displayed Price: $89, that’s $84.55 at 5% off and $80.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 93-94 points “The sample of the 2022 Lousas Viñas de Aldea was in stainless steel, blended and sulfured and waiting to be bottled in a couple of months. Most 2022s are more immediate than the 2021s, and this is floral, perfumed and expressive, with a juicy and round palate. They now have more vineyards in general, so they compensated the lower yields with more land under vine. The 2022s have turned out fresher and cooler than what the conditions of the year pointed out. There will be some 25,000 bottles of this. Even though it’s a lower-yielding year, they had more vineyards.”
Envinate Lousas Doad, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 94-95 points “The 2022 Doad Lousas is the second vintage of the village red. It comes from gneiss and schist soils from the traditional zone of the Sil and is warmer and riper, a textbook example of ripe Mencía fruit, an earlier zone with juicy wines. As with the rest of the 2022s, I tasted the wine after it had been blended and the sulfur adjusted, waiting in stainless steel to be bottled in a couple of months. It has the textbook floral and perfumed nose, quite fruit-driven, juicy and tasty, with some fine tannins that need a bit of time in bottle to get polished. They expect to fill some 3,300 bottles from a number of barrels of different sizes.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Envinate Lousas Rosende, Ribeira Sacra 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $54.50, that’s $51.78 at 5% off and $49.05 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “From a single vineyard of 28-60-year-old vines in Rosende, in O Saviñao, the soils here remind them of the northern Rhône with granite crystals flecked through the sand. The wine is full of cherries, berries, wild strawberries and a slightly savoury, umami finish.”
Envinate Lousas Rosende, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 95-96 points “The 2022 Rosende Lousas is the second vintage of the new village wine from Rosende, the only zone in Ribeira Sacra where they have granite soils. The wine is superb, more reductive and austere than the majority of 2022s, closer to the style of the 2021s. This is a rocky 2022, very soil driven, long and textured, sharper, very interesting. They expect to fill some 3,300 bottles in November 2023.”
Envinate Lousas Parcela Seoane, Ribeira Sacra 2022 750ml Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Luis Gutiérrez-Wine Advocate 96-97 points “I also had the chance to taste the still-unbottled 2022 Lousas Parcela Seoane that had already been taken out of barrel, put in stainless steel and the sulfur was adjusted, so it’s pretty close to what the bottled wine should be. This is a specific plot in the village of Doade with gneiss and quartz. It has the expressive nose of the zone, serious and mineral, but with a perfumed nose too, with a note of blood orange and the faint volatility that lifts up the nose. There’s a lot of energy here; it excels in 2022. It comes from very old vines planted in the 1930s. There will be around 2,000 bottles that they expect to fill around November 2023.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Shop our twenty-four Envinate selections on sale now on our webstore!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
German and Austrian Magnums & Double-Magnums
5% off any 3-5 in-stock large format wines from Germany and/or Austria
10% off any 6 or more in-stock large format wines from Germany and/or Austria
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Sunday, July 21st at 9 am Pacific.