This page is intended as a reference to the main grapes found across the Canary Islands and accompanies the main Canary Islands page on this website.
I have included only the most common / interesting synonyms that the reader may come across or recognise.
For more thorough information on the grapes, please consult the following books (links in the main Canary Islands overview page on this site):
- “About Canary Wines” (Chapter 4 pages 60-91)
- Santo Bains’ “Epic Canary Wines” (p27 for an index of the grapes covered)
- The website of each PDO also contains an overview on each grape
Terminology
Note that the following indicate White / Red grapes (“o” being masculine and “a” being feminine depending on the ending of the grape name) :
White :
Alibillo (Latin), Blanca/o, Branca/o
Red :
Negra/o, Tinta/o
Confusing grape names
Tintilla
- “Tintilla” is a grape name that refers to a variety of different, unrelated grapes. These are listed below under “Tintilla”. It is worth knowing that it is most commonly used in Canary Islands to refer to Castellana Negra.
Vijariego / Verijadiego / Diego
- Vijariego is used in NW Tenerife to refer to Verijadiego which is unrelated to Vijariego or Diego.
- Vijariego Blanco – has 14 different names including Bujariego, Vijariega Blanca, Vijariego, Vijiriego
- Vijariego Negro is a different grape entirely and is actually Sumoll from Catalonia. (they do however share a parent)
Ageability
Although mention is made to the ageability of some grapes, the actual ageability of any given wine will depend on the producer and whether the wine was intended to drink early or age. I recommend checking with the producer or wine merchant when purchasing.
The Grapes
Official Name :
The official scientific name for the grape (in brackets are other synonyms you may come across).
Local :
Indicates if this is a grape that is found only on the Canary Islands.
Origin :
Country of origin and / or parentage of the grape where known (Hében was quite prolific!).
(click on any column heading to sort by that field)
| Colour | Grape | Official Name | Local | Origin | Overview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | Albillo Criollo | (aka Albillo Chriolle, Albillo Grano Menudo) | Yes | Crossing of Listán Blanco + Verdello | Young, fresh & aromatic. Peach, tropical, spice, minerals Used in blends for its acidity. Used for "Tea Wine" in La Palma |
| White | Albillo Monte Lentiscal | Yes | |||
| White | Baboso Blanco | Bastardo Blanco / Samarrinho (aka Budelho, Pedro Ximenez Canario) | white variation of Trousseau Noir | Elegant, fresh & mineral. Citrus, honey, white fruit. Intese / fresh acidity. |
|
| Red | Baboso Negro | Alfrocheiro | Alfocheiro from Portugal (which is a crossing of Austrian Savagnin Blanc + Traminer) | The Amarone of the Canary Islands. Dark fruit, black berries, floral. Fine tannins and delicate minerals (Look out for Conatvs 2023 Baboso Negro from Fuerteventura - claimed to be the most promising of any on the islands) |
|
| Red | Bastardo Negro | Trousseau Noir (aka Verdejo Negro) | Robust & structured with light colour. Can age. |
||
| Red | Bermajuela Rosada | Yes | |||
| White | Bermejuela | see Marmajuelo | Yes | ||
| Red | Bienmesabe Tinto | Yes | |||
| White | Breval | Beba | Spanish Beba / Hebén | Pale, low alcohol, usually blended | |
| Red | Breval Negro | Yes | |||
| White | Bujariego (La Plama) | Vijariego Blanco - see Vijariego | |||
| White | Burra Volcanica | Yes | |||
| White | Burrablanca | Airén | Spain. Descendent of Hebén | Simple, low acid & colour. Drought resistant. Mainly used in blends |
|
| Red | Castellana Negra / Tintilla Castellana | Tinta Cão | Portugal | The next big thing after Baboso Negro Bramble fruit with High acidity alcohol and tannins. Aged version can be meaty / chocolate like a New World Cab Sauv Single varietal bottles are rare by necessity high quality. Allow to age 5 years before drinking to soften. Often referred to as Tintilla (see below under Tintilla) |
|
| White | Diego | Vijariego Blanco - see Vijariego | Lanzarote's name for Vijariego Blanco | ||
| White | Forastera Blanca | Albillo Forastero (aka Forastera Gomera) | Yes | Offspring of Listan Blanco + Verdello | Young drinking wines. Quite neutral with perhaps floral or stone fruit. Unique to La Gomera (although some vines have been sneaked into neighbouring islands) |
| Red | Forastera Negro | Yes | Apparently not officially recognised by La Gomera DO, and sometimes labelled as Listán Negro | ||
| White | Gual | Malvasía Fina (aka Bual, Uval, Boal + 21 other synonyms) | Yes | Portugal's Malvasía Fina (a crossing of Alfrochiero & Hebén) | Quality white & sweet wines. Weighty & buttery with wax, honey, High acid and can age well without oxidation. |
| Red | Huevo de Gallo | Yes | |||
| White | Listán Blanco | Palomino Fino (141 synonyms in total) | Spain | Neutral and expressive of terroir. Fennel, cut grass, mineral / saline. The most cultivated grape in the Canaries. Also parent to LN, Albillo Criollo & Forastera Blanca |
|
| Red | Listán Negro | Listán Negro | Yes | A crossing of Listán Blanco (Palomino Fino ) + Negramoll (Mollar Cano) | Exclusive to Canary Islands and the most widely grown red grape. Spicy volcanic minerals & terroir expressive. Red fruit, peppery (like a mineral Cabernet Franc). Soft tannins (like Gamay) Young & fruity, or serious ageworthy (where it displays Syrah-like meatiness) If thin and rustic, it will be blended with Negramoll and Castellana Negra. |
| Red | Listan Prieto | (aka País, Criolla, Mission + 43 Synonyms) | Red fruit with grippy tannins. The first grape to be to the New World (c. 1540) |
||
| Red | Listán Rosado (Listán negro mutation) | Yes | Palomino Fino mutation | ||
| White | Malvasía Aromática | Malvasía Dubrovacka (aka Malvasía de Sitges + 70 other synonyms) | Eastern Mediterannean | Aromatic with fresh acidity. Stone fruits, floral and honey character. |
|
| Red | Malvasia Purpura | Yes | |||
| Red | Malvasía Rosada | Malvasía Dubrovacka Rosada | Yes | Malvasía Dubrovacka mutation | Aromatic red fruit & floral. Used to make rosé. |
| White | Malvasía Volcanica | (aka Malvasía de Lanzarote, Málaga (in Tenerife) + 4 other synonyms) | Yes | Crossing of Malvasía Aromática + Marmajuelo | Lanzarote's flagship grape. Neutral / saline. Some floral, citrus or stone fruit. Dry to sweet wines |
| White | Marmajuelo | Bermejuela (aka Bermejuela Blanca + 6 other synonyms) | Spain (Vermilion) A crossing of Vermejuala + Bermebjuela Rosada (el H) = ancestor) | Aromatic & tropical. Bright acidity, high alcohol. Only grows well in specific pockets of N Tenerife & El Hierrow below 300m |
|
| Red | Mollar Cano Rosado (mutation of Mollar Cano) | Yes | |||
| White | Moscatel de Alejandría | Muscat of Alexandria (aka Moscatel + 285 other names) | Greece Crossing of Heptaliko + Moscatel à Petits Grains | Aromatic & floral (rose water, orange blossom, lychee) One of the oldest grape varieties in existance Mainly used for dessert wines in Canary Islands |
|
| Red | Negramoll | Mollar Cano (aka Molata, Tinta Negra Mole + 33 other synonyms) | Spain | Pinot Noir / Nebbiolo of the Canaries Can preserve the terroir minerality Light & fruity (red berries) when young. Complex & savoury (coffee, leather) if aged Grown mostly on La Palma & western islands |
|
| Red | Negramoll Rosada | (aka Mulata : "mixed race") | Multicoloured grapes on same vine / bunches Not to be confused with the unnamed pink Negramoll |
||
| Pedro Ximénez | Most likely Spain (Hében is one of its parents) | High alcohol, low acid. Raisin / sultana flavours. Used in dessert wines. |
|||
| White | Sabro | Sabro | Yes | Descendent of Spain's Hebén + unkonwn grape | Used in blends for its vibrant acidity or with Malvasia to add body. Starting to appear as single varietal wines. Almost exclusive to La Palma Often found in natural sweet wines. |
| Red | Tintilla | Tintilla | Officially "Tintilla" refers to 4 varieties: Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, Monastrell & Vinaho. In the Canary Islands it refers to a lot of similar varieties: Baboso Negro (Alfrocheiro), Bastardo Negro, Maturana Tinta (Trousseau Noir), Garnacha Tinta, Castellana Tinta, Tintilla Castellana (Tinta Cao) This is quite confusing and as such, no further description is offered here. |
||
| Red | Tintilla (Castellana Negra) | Tinta Cão | Genetically equiv to Castellana Negra, but GC argue it's different. | Elegant, structured & ageworthy. Black fruits, chocolate and liquorice. Not unlike Graciano, although no genetic link |
|
| White | Torrontés | Torrontés | Refers to 5 different varieties: Torrontés, Alarije, Bical, Malvasía Fina (Gual), Fernau Pires) |
||
| White | Torrontés Volcánico | Yes | |||
| White | Vallera | Yes | |||
| White | Verdello | Verdelho Branco | Verdello is the name for 5 different varieites (Beba, Verdone Bianco, Verdicchio Bianco, Gouveio, Verdelho Branco). In the Canaries it refers to the latter. High quality, alcohol and acidity. Citrus & tropical character. |
||
| White | Verdello de El Hierro | Yes | Crossing of Alfrochiero (Baboso Negro) & Verijadiego | A minor variety from El Hierro with distinctive herbaceous notes. | |
| White | Verijadiego | Verijadiego (aka Vijariego/a in NW Tenerife) | Yes | (unknown? El Hierro?) | Aromatic, spicy, complex. Fruity & floral. Local from El Hierro. Good for sweet wines (Don't mistake with Vijariego Blanco ) |
| Red | Verijadiego Negro | Yes | |||
| White | Vijariego Blanco | Vijariego Blanco (aka Bujariego (in La Palma), Vijariega/o, Vijiriega/o + 14 others)) | Spain An offspring of Hében | Acidic. Apple/citrus. Sometimes herbacious / mineral. |
|
| Red | Vijariego Negro | Sumoll (aka Vijariego Tinto/Vijariega Negra / Verijadiego Negro) | Spain (Catalunia) An offspring of Hebén | Fresh, red fruit & mineral. Can be oak aged for more complex, ageworthy wines. Different to Vijariego Blanco, although they share the same parent Hében |
|
| White | Vitoriera | Yes | |||
| Red | Almuñeco | Listán Prieto / Listán Negro | Local name in La Palma for either Listán Priet o or Listán Negro | ||
| White | Malvasía Brisada | See Malvasía Aromática | Local name in La Palma for Malvasía Aromática |