2019 Envinate Parcela Palo Blanco

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....
The 2019 Palo Blanco was produced with Listán Blanco grapes from the village of Los Realejos in the Valle de la Orotava. They consider 2019 an exceptional vintage for this cuvée, which comes from four plots of centenary cordón trenzado braided vines that ripened properly and earlier than normal, avoiding an unusually warm October. The wine has a moderate 12% alcohol and great freshness and acidity for the variety and especially after having gone through full malolactic. In 2019, 70% of the wine matured in well-seasoned, neutral oval 2,500-liter oak foudres and the rest with fine lees in 350-liter oak barrels. They kept adding vineyards for this wine, so they were able to produce a little more wine. This is a wine that showed them that fermenting at higher temperatures resulted in less fruit and more soil character in the wines. There's always a Burgundian feeling to this wine, sharp and precise and very long, layered and with depth. This follows the path of the 2018. 10,000 bottles and 30 magnums were produced. It was bottled in December 2020. Drink 2022 - 2029.
97 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate (Feb 2022)

This shows rather salty, dried-apple and pineapple character with some white flowers. It’s medium-bodied with a creamy texture and a long, flavorful finish. Soulful and tasty. Drink now.
93 Points
JamesSuckling.com (October 2021)