Vike Vike Granazza 2022, Sardinia, “The Woman in the Wine Press”, Vouni Panayia, Cyprus and Vigna di Milo, Vigneri di Salvo Foti, Etna, Siciliy, copyright BKWine Photography
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We recently introduced you to the concept of “Island Wines” with a report from the Island Wine Summit on Tenerife in this Forbes.com article: Are Wines From Islands Special? The Island Wines Summit Answers.
Here is a selection of island wines from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.
Mediterranean Cyprus
The Mediterranean islands have historically been famous for sweet wines. Cyprus is a good example. I use the word legendary sparingly, but it is a fitting epithet for the sweet Commanderia made in Cyprus since the days (and probably longer) of the Knights Templar and the Crusades in the 13th century. It is a remarkable wine. Its popularity has waned over the years, as has happened to all sweet wines, but it has not disappeared.
Cyprus is on the very eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. At the summit, I met Yiannis Kyriakidis, who is the winemaker at his family’s estate, Vouni Panayia. He confirmed the trend: “Cyprus is moving away from sweet wines.”
Yiannis Kyriakidis, winemaker at his family’s estate Vouni Panayia, Cyprus, copyright BKWine Photography
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Yiannis grew up with wine. “My parents founded the winery, we lived there, and I remember the aromas of fermentation growing up.” It didn’t put him off, luckily, and he became a dedicated winemaker. Cyprus has a typical Mediterranean climate, says Yiannis, but also mountains which moderate the temperatures.“Our vineyards have a dry climate with little disease pressure, and we only use a bit of sulphur spraying.”
At the summit, Yiannis presented a white wine:
“The Woman in the Wine Press” 2022, Vouni Panayia, Cyprus
The grape here is morokanella, densely planted as bush vines on a limestone/clay soil. “The Woman in the Wine Press” (the label depicts just that) is an energetic wine with so much acidity and tension; it is razor-sharp. There is also texture on the palate, which is one of the things that Yiannis is looking for.
Greece/Crete
Crete is a big island, says owner and winemaker Amilios Andrei at Aori Winery, “with many soils and micro climates”.
Aori Winery is in the west, where it is cooler and greener. It is a mountainous area with 60 peaks over 6,560 feet. Here, he found a local, ungrafted clone of the Muscat grape, high up in the mountains, and that’s how it all started. Here, he says, he can make fresh, elegant wines; he is still amazed by their freshness and the low alcohol. “We never have cooked style.” He is also fond of the schist soil with its good water retention. “A schist soil is like a book with many layers”, he says.
Aori Kotsifali 2023, Aori Winery, Crete, Greece
Kotsifali is a red Greek wine grape indigenous to Crete. This wine is fragrant, elegant, light in style, with delicate aromas of raspberries, structured in the mouth, and very fresh.
Aori Kotsifali 2023, Aori Winery, Crete, Greece, Esole Ghirada Garaunele, Cannonau, Sardinia and Badalucco Pipa 1999 Grillo, Sicily, copyright BKWine Photography
BKWine PhotographyGreece/Île de Zakynthos
Île de Zakynthos is a smaller island off the west coast of Greece.
Zakynthos Verdea 2024, Dionysis Kefallinos, Greece
Six local grapes (at least) make up this wine from Dionysis Kefallinos: macripodia, goustolidi, robola, pavlos, koutsoubeli, lagorthi, and that is only a small part of all the indigenous varieties found on the island. Dionyses is a true enthusiast of these varieties and of low-intervention winemaking.
Here we have so much texture, freshness and vitality, a little bit of oxidation (it’s a natural wine), but it’s not too much, and it adds to the experience.
Greece/Isla de Tinos
At the small Isla de Tinos, one of the Cyclades islands, Domaine de Kalathas makes a stunning rosé,
10+12 Aspro Potamisi, Rosé, Domaine de Kalathas
The first things that hit you are the tannins and the dryness, but you soon also have the lovely mouthfeel, the body, the apricot aromas, a bit of salinity, and a hint of oxidation. No sulphites added. Non-grafted vines.
Italy/Sicily/Etna
The wines from Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, are having a big success. We tasted wines from two of the forerunners, Frank Cornelissen and Salvo Foti.
Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Rosso CS 2021, Etna
The grape here is Nerello Mascalese, the star grape of Etna. Cornelissen works with little intervention in the wine cellar, but without exaggerating. There is a hint of volatility, but it is quite pleasant. The red fruit lingers; it is light, refreshing, and very drinkable.
Zakynthos Verdea, Dionysis Kefallinos, Greece, Cuvée Ministre Impérial Rouge 2023, Domaine Comte Abbatucci, Corsica and Frank Cornelissen Munjebel Rosso CS, Etna, copyright BKWine Photography
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Present at the summit was Andrea Foti, second-generation winemaker and Salvo Foti’s son. Salvo Foti is a famous wine producer on Etna, and not only that, he is a true multi-tasker in wine, famous not only for his wines but also for his research.
“We are in Milo, east of Etna”, says Andrea, “we have no extreme heat, and we have a lot of rain. We have the African sun but a Nordic climate! He presented a white wine made from the grape Carricante.
I Vigneri di Salvo Foti Vigna di Milo 2024
It is very floral, with tension and vitality on the palate, good body, lovely mouthfeel, and good freshness. “This freshness is remarkable”, says Andrea, “we don’t have a high acidity, but the pH is very low.”
Andrea Foti, second-generation winemaker and Salvo Foti, Etna, Sicily, copyright BKWine Photography
BKWine PhotographyItaly/Sardinia/Mamoiada
The village of Mamoiada, in the middle of the island, is a lively, dynamic wine village full of small, ambitious producers. Two of those were at the wine summit, Simone Sedilesu at Vike Vike and Federica Dessolis at Esole. “Mamoiada has around 2500 inhabitants and 240 wineries”, says Simone Sedilesu, winemaker and owner of Vike Vike. “All families make their own wines.”
“We have a new generation here now”, says Federica, “looking for finesse. In many places in Sardinia, people leave; here, in this village, people stay.”
Vike Vike Granazza 2022, Sardinia
Garnazza, is a rare white variety. It is a delicious wine with an abundance of flavours. It is floral, there’s texture and a good length. “Our goal is to preserve the old vineyards, the old varieties and finally, says Simone, “this is financially feasible.”
Simone Sedilesu, owner and winemaker at at Vike Vike and Federica Dessolis, owner and winemaker at Esole, both in Sardinia, copyright BKWine Photography
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Esole Ghirada Garaunele A 2024, Cannonau, Sardinia
The grape is Cannonau, which is the local name for Garnacha or Grenache. It is a ghirada, a single vineyard (or a micro-terroir). This is an easy-drinking, refreshing wine with lovely fruit and some tannins to give it structure. Very drinkable, but still complex.
France/Corsica
Corsica is French, although it is closer to Italy than to France, and it used to be Italian back in the day. The island is known for indigenous grapes, and the wine producers are now proud to continue this legacy. The island had an identity crisis some years ago. In the 1970s, too many vineyards were planted, and too much of the grape alicante bouchet and too much bulk wine were produced. The reputation took a hit. Now, the vineyard surface has decreased, and quality is up. “It is a very recent success”, says Pascaline Lepeltier. “It is a story of visionaries among the wine producers and importers from abroad. Corsican wine has been present on the US market since the 1980s.“
Cuvée Ministre Impérial Rouge 2023, Domaine Comte Abbatucci, Corsica
Jean-Charles Abbatucci and his daughter Faustine are passionate champions of traditional Corsican grape varieties. The grapes for this wine are morellona, morellona, aleatico, carcajolo nero, montanaccia, and the two most common grapes in Corsica, sciaccarello and nielluccio.
Looking at the label and the name of the wine (Napoléon Bonaparte was born on the island), you might expect a dense, even heavy wine, but what you get is actually the contrary, vitality, a lively acidity, easy-going but still with a backbone and a good volume in the mouth,
Republic of Türkiye/Bozcaada
Türkiye was represented by a sweet passito wine from the island of Bozcaada in the northeastern Aegean Sea.
Passito Vasilaki 2015, Resit Soley, Corvus Vineyards, Isla de Bozcaada, Republic of Türkiye
Corvus Vineyards was founded in 2002 by Resit Soley, an architect. For this passito, the grapes were air-dried. Vasiliki is a grape native to the island of Bozcaada, where it thrives in the strong winds. The winemaker picks early to keep the acidity.
It is a very sweet wine, but with incredible acidity that masks some of the sugar, making it a pleasure to drink: a beautiful amber colour and delicious aromas of ripe and crushed apricots.
The Atlantic OceanPortugal/Madeira
The island of Madeira is located just over 300 miles west of Morocco. It was discovered in the early 15th century. Although sugar cane cultivation came first, it was not long before the first grapes were planted on the island. Madeira is a sweet, fortified wine. It used to be tremendously popular, and it still has its admirers, and rightly so. Madeira of top quality is an amazing wine.
The production of dry, non-fortified wines from Madeira is now increasing. They are still rare but there is a growing demand for them. These dry wines have their own appellation, DOP Madeirense.
One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company. He is a prominent winemaker and a true entrepreneur. Few people know more than he does when it comes to making wines on the Atlantic islands. He has revitalised wine production in the Azores and breathed new life into historic grape varieties.
From left: Roberto Santana from Envinate, Tenerife, Antônio Maçanita from Azores Wine Company, Jonatan Garcia Lima from Suertes del Marqués, Tenerife and Paz Levinson, sommelier at Groupe Pic, France, copyright BKWine Photography
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António Maçanita Nuno Faria, Tinta Negra. Dos Villôes 2022, Maderia, Azores Wine Company
“TInta Negra is the most planted grape in Madeira”, says António, “but they hide it.” Tinta Negra is behind many Madeira wines that are not of top quality. But António reduced the yield to achieve better results, and now he pays 7 euros per kilo for this grape (about the same price as in Champagne…). It is a great wine though, with a delicious, refreshing mouthfeel, intense red fruit aromas, in a light, elegant, approachable style.
António Macanita Nuno Faria, Caracol, dos Profetas Fazendas Areia 2023, Porto Santo, Madeira
The grape is caracol, a very rare but traditional grape on Porto Santo, one of the islands in the Madeira archipelago. The wine is crisp and dry, with vibrant fruit, a bit of salinity, fine acidity and citrus. Delicious.
Listrão Biológico 2024, DOP Madeirense, Isla de Porto Santo, Justino’s Projects
An interesting dry wine project from the famous Madeira producer Justino’s. This is a dry wine at only 11% alcohol, made from the palomino grape, here called listrão. A good body and length and texture, a hint of salinity, crispy green apples and balanced acidity.
Las Suertes 2022, Suertes del Marqués, DO Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife and António Maçanita Nuno Faria, Tinta Negra, Dos Villôes, Madeirense, Azores Wine Company, copyright BKWine Photography
BKWine PhotographyPortugal/The Azores
The Azores are an autonomous region of Portugal and are situated far out in the Atlantic, a 2 ½-hour flight from Lisbon. Because of the marine influence, temperatures remain mild year-round. The wind can be pretty tough, though. Most wines are made on the Pico Island with its huge volcano, Ponta do Pico, Portugal’s highest mountain at 7,713 feet. The island is famous for its black volcanic soil.
António Maçanita Arinto dos Açores Solera, Azores Wine Company, Ilha do Pico, the Azores
This is quite a surprising wine. It tastes delicious, has texture on the palate, prominent acidity, is very dry, and made me think of a fino, the dry sherry. The grape Arinto dos Açores is a unique variety, indigenous to the Azores. Its origin is unknown, says Antónia, but according to recent studies it could be a descendant of the Verdelho grape.
António Maçanita Vinha dos Utras 2022, Azores Wine Company, Ilha do Pico, the Azores
Here, the grapes grow in a stony, difficult terrain, in the crevices of the volcanic rock, just a few meters from the salty sea. It is a bit extreme as a location, and the salt sometimes burns the flowers, says António. It is a very old plot. He uses here an ancient grape variety called terrantez de pico. Vinha dos Utras is extremely dry, with hints of gunpowder and salinity, and very fresh, with an acidity that lingers. You almost hear the waves from the Atlantic.
António Maçanita Terrantez do Pico, Açores, Azores Wine Company, copyright BKWine Photography
BKWine PhotographySpain/Canary Islands
The Canary Islands lie off north‑western Africa, just south of Madeira. Phylloxera never reached the Canaries, so vines are ungrafted, and many vineyards are over a century old. The islands are major year-round tourist destinations.
Some of the grapes that still grow here travelled on Spanish ships in the 16th century to South America. One of them was Listan Prieto, now known as Mission in California, País in Chile, and Criolla chica in Argentina. Listan Prieto is still grown on the Canary Islands but is all but gone from mainland Spain.
At the summit, we tasted wines from Tenerife, the biggest of the islands. It is a stunning island with a dramatic landscape and Spain’s highest peak, the Tiede volcano, smack in the middle. For such a small island, the differences between north and south are huge. The south is much warmer and protected from rain, so it only gets around 8 inches of rain a year. The north normally gets 27-30 inches, and it’s greener and lusher, but, of course, with more rainy and cloudy days. It is two totally different landscapes.
António Maçanita Vinha dos Utras, Pico Island, The Azores, Azores Wine Company and Edición 3 Blanco, Suertes del Marqués, Valle de la Oratava, Tenerife, copyright BKWine Photography
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Envínate Palo Blanco 2024 Tenerife, DOP Islas Canarias
Envinate was founded by four friends who met while studying oenology. They found that they all liked the fresh, drinkable style of wines made from local grape varieties. Their names are Roberto Santana, Jose Martinez, Laura Ramos and Alfonso Torrente. While each of them worked as wine consultants, the Envinate project developed in parallel across the four regions of the founders: Tenerife, Murcia, Ribeira Sacra, and Albacete. Roberto Santana is from Tenerife and attended the summit.
“Listán blanco (also called palo blanco) is a slow ripening grape”, says Roberto. “It gives a complex, low alcohol wine with high personality.” The grapes grow at 2,500 feet; no yeast is added during fermentation. The wine ages in big oak casks for one year. It is a very dry wine, razor-sharp with tension, flavourful, rich on the nose, with stone fruit, a hint of bitterness on the finish and even a bit of tannins.
Envinate Táganan Tinto 2023, Tenerife, António Macanita Nuno Faria, Caracol, dos Profetas Fazendas Areia 2023, Porto Santo, Madeira, copyright BKWine Photography
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Envinate Benje 2024 Tenerife, DOP Ycoden-Daute-Isora
The grapes here are listán negro, negramol, listán gaucho, and vijariego negro. The grapes grow in dark basalt soil, a complex terroir, says Robert, and adds that the last eruption of Teide was in 1909. The volcano is still active. The vines are planted at high altitude in the northwest of Tenerife. “There is more sun up there. We are looking for protection from the sun, such as a big canopy.” The wine is light and elegant in style, with red fruit aromas, refreshing and invigorating, and fine, smooth tannins.
Suertes del Marqués Edición 3 Blanco 2024, DO Valle de la Oratava, Tenerife
Owner and winemaker Jonatan Garcia Lima makes some amazing wine in a very special style, with prominent fresh acidity. “I like acidity in my wines”, he says. “This wine is from different plots in different valleys, grown in a soil with clay, so quite rich. The vines are ungrafted and at least 100 years old. The wine has extraordinary acidity, floral notes, and fruit that give an excellent mouth-filling sensation.
Jonatan Garcia Lima from Suertes del Marqués, Tenerife, copyright BKWine Photography
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Suertes del Marqués Las Suertes 2022, DO Valle de la Orotava, Tenerife
Again, very old vines of listan negra from 45 different plots, all vinified separately, a careful extraction, and one year in oak barrels. He likes it best after 4-5 years in bottle. It is refreshing, energetic, has lovely fruit, length, and complexity, but is still an easy-drinking wine.
Suertas del Marqués Vidonia V.P. Listán blanco 2016, DO Valle de La Orotava, Tenerife
Superb fruit, mouth-feel, texture, good length, hint of bitterness at the finish, which feels fine. A delicious wine that shows what listan blanco can do.
—Britt Karlsson
Dining and Cooking