El Grifo Malvasía Colección Seco

El Grifo is the oldest winery in the Canary Islands. Located on the island of Lanzarote, it dates to 1775, just a few decades after the 1730-36 eruptions that laid the foundations for quality winemaking in this surreal volcanic terroir. The name of the winery comes from the name of a village buried in lava at the time of the eruptions of the Timanfaya crater, which sprinkled the soil with rich minerals and gave rise to the evocative cultivation of vines in the iconic "chabocos".

Located in Masdache, a town in San Bartolomé, El Grifo is now owned by brothers Juan José and Fermín Otamendi Rodríguez-Bethencourt, the fifth generation of the families that have owned the winery since its modern founding. The company also makes use of grapes purchased from local winemakers, as the island is characterised by a considerable parcelling out of property. And, of course, the family is at the forefront of communicating the island's wine culture, as well as introducing modern steel winemaking techniques and recovering Canarian winemaking traditions.

The approximately 60 hectares of vines stand on densely volcanic soil and are protected from the Atlantic currents by the characteristic dry-stone walls. Many of the vines are grafted, centuries old. The range includes all the typical wines of the island, especially those made from Malvasía, Listán Negro, Vijariego and Muscatel grapes.

Malvasía Colección Seco is the most snappy, young and dynamic interpretation of the island's best-known white grape. It is a bright, luminous volcanic Malvasia, pale yellow in colour with greenish highlights. The olfactory texture initially expresses notes of jasmine, honeysuckle and citrus fruits, with a subtle and elegant aromaticity. The nose quickly evolves towards fruity scents of apricot and passion fruit, with a densely mineral counterpoint. Fresh, broad and mineral on the palate, it reveals an agile structure but considerable aromatic complexity.