Bien De Altura Tidao

Carmelo Santana is the new kid on the block for Canary Island wine. Hailing from Gran Canaria, Bien de Altura focuses on preserving local grapes and reviving ancient abandoned vineyards. The grapes for Tidao are the oldest vines on the plot, a minimum of 110 years old) growing at 1200-1460m (i.e. very high altitude). “Tidao” translates to “Union” in the local Gran Canaria dialect, in reference to the ancient field blend where these vines have been living and growing together for over a century.

In profile, it feels like a balance between the styles of a high-altitude Riberia Sacra red and a Cru Beajoulais. It spends 9 months in Nieeport’s second-use port barrels to gain complexity. It is darker in colour and has a touch more body than Carmelo’s Ikewen wine. It is darker, deeper and a more refined, elegant and polished wine which is driven from the intensity of fruit that these ultra-old vines produce. The palate is tense, red fruits, crunchy, with flavours of plums and wild strawberries.

Bottled unfined, unfiltered with a small amount of SO2, organic and biodynamic (though not certified). Tiny amounts of this wine are made and if you can be patient enough, it will age gracefully for up to 20 years.