Spain — wine

La Palma DO

The most verdant and remote of the Canary Islands wine DOs, La Palma — the 'Beautiful Island' — produces wines from ancient ungrafted Listán Negro, Listán Blanco, Negramoll, and Albillo vines on the slopes of the island's active Cumbre Vieja volcano. The island's extreme climatic diversity — from cloud-forest wines of the north to dry volcanic wines of the Fuencaliente lava fields in the south — creates multiple styles within a small island. The Fuencaliente volcanic sub-zone produces wines from vines grown in lava-filled hollows called hoyos (pits) that protect plants from the fierce Atlantic winds — one of viticulture's most extreme and visually dramatic techniques.

Year Rating Notes
2023 Strong recovery vintage; La Palma wine solidarity movement driving international support and recognition.
2022 Recovery vintage; surviving producers maintaining quality while rebuilding destroyed vineyard blocks.
2021 Cumbre Vieja eruption devastated vineyards; 17 bodegas buried in lava — partial vintage from surviving estates.
2020 Solid vintage; island domestic market maintaining despite tourism disruption.
2019 Exceptional year; Tajinaste wines entering Paris and London natural wine lists.
2018 Strong vintage; pre-phylloxera vine culture attracting natural wine researcher interest.
2017 Reliable island vintage; La Palma DO establishing as Spain's most remote wine destination.
2016 Outstanding Atlantic season; Listán Negro achieving extraordinary volcanic purity.
2015 Strong La Palma vintage; Tajinaste gaining European natural wine community attention.