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  • 95

2018 Envinate Migan Tinto

Tenerife, SPAIN
$69. 99
Bottle
$839.88 Dozen
ABV: 12%
Closure: Cork

Envínate, which literally translates as “Wine Yourself,” is the project of four young passionate winemakers: Roberto Santana (based in the Canaries), Jose Martinez (Almansa), Laura Ramos (Murcia) and Alfonso Torrente (Ribeira Sacra). The four met while studying oenology in Alicante in 2005 and formed a collective based on a shared philosophy of wine and a desire to explore the ancient, Atlantic influenced terroirs of western Spain.

In 2008, the group bought their first vineyard in Ribeira Sacra, then took control of vineyards on the north side of Tenerife, and followed with a single patch of Tinta Amarela in Extremadura. Finally, in 2012, the group began working with a site in Almansa, where Jose lives and works, planted to Garnacha Tintorera. In each region, they work old, previously abandoned vineyards, but importantly for a project with such spread, one of the team lives full time in each location, working the vineyards year round.

Migan and Palo Blanco are both very old vine wines from the Valle de la Orotava zone, although they don’t bear the D.O. stamp. The old vines are trained in the Trezendo fashion: braiding new shoots over older ones until the vines begin to resemble old dreadlocks weaving over the landscape. The terrain is flatter than Táganan, more conducive to farming. Migan is two parcels of Listan Negro, both over 100 years old, while Palo Blanco is a single vineyard from the town of Los Realejos planted on black volcanic soils.

Other Reviews....
They started making wine from La Orotava a few years ago, and the red 2018 Migan is named with the old name of the village of La Perdoma. So, this is a village red from different plots in the village, including La Habanera and Tío Luis that are also bottled in small quantities plus some 40% from a vineyard called San Antonio that has more clay. The different plots fermented with 10% stems and matured separately in concrete, used 600-liter barrels and used 228-liter barrels. This is the textbook expression of the soils from La Orotava, showcased by notes of freshly cracked peppercorns, dry rose petals and wet pumice stone and volcanic ash. It's juicy and expressive, medium-bodied, with the power of fruit from La Orotava. From the 2018 vintage, I prefer La Habanera, which has incredible edge and minerality. But this has to be the finest vintage of Migan, only the third they have produced. 11,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2020.
95+ points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Sept 2020)