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Wednesday, 18 November 2015 19:32

Tenerife Wine: Balcón Canario Is A Classic Canary Islands Red

Balcón Canario: A Lovely young thing from Tenerife Balcón Canario: A Lovely young thing from Tenerife

This wine is like a 1980s Russian shotputter; Not because of its dubious origins, enormous legs or chemical content, but because it's won loads of international medals. 

Balcón Canario tinto is a young , unoaked red wine that is made from 70% listán negro grapes for fruity flavours, 30% negramoll for acidity and 10% tintilla for tannins and depth of flavour. It's a classic blend designed to create a fruity, medium bodied red with some tannins. 

It comes from the Tacoronte Acentejo DO in north Tenerife and is made by one of the island's most acomplished wineries

The nose leads with a hit of minerals followed by ripe fruit and a hint of jamminess. Is there a touch of coffee in there?

In the mouth, it's slightly tart with great berry flavours and a hit of spice and liquorice. The tintilla tannins come through but never overpower, and the finish is long with a mineral edge. 

A balanced wine that is a pleasure to drink and has to be one of the best value reds in the Canary Islands (sold for about €7.50 in Gran Canaria). 

Yes, you can buy a bottle of Rioja for a five euros, but is it made from pre-phylloxera grapes that no longer exist anywhere else in world? Were they hand picked and made into wine just a few kilometres from your hotel? The couple of extra euros you pay for good Canarian wine buys you something unique that helps to keep the Canary Islands beautiful.

It's always well worth it. 

Alex says: There's a lot of flavour in Canary Islands red wines and most taste better if you open the bottle and let them breathe for an hour before getting stuck in. 

Published in Wine