Listan Negro '25

Juicy dark fruit, black pepper, and a mineral edge: Viñátigo’s Listán Negro brings Tenerife’s red-wine tradition to the table. Grown in the midlands of the island’s northwest, this Canary Islands grape makes a red with plenty of personality, combining inviting fruit with the volcanic character described in the winery’s notes.

Fourth-generation winemaker Juan Jesús founded Viñátigo in 1990, building the project around identifying and recovering the Canary Islands’ native grape varieties. Listán Negro is part of that living heritage, giving this bottle a connection to the islands that goes beyond geography. Tenerife’s volcanic landscape and Atlantic setting provide a very different backdrop from mainland Spain’s better-known red-wine regions.

The existing production notes describe hand harvesting and three months in old barrels, a short maturation that fits the wine’s juicy, fruit-led character. Rather than a red to reserve for a heavy roast, think of it across a spread of savoury dishes: grilled pork, chicken with paprika, or mushrooms browned with garlic and thyme. A lentil dish with roasted peppers is a good vegetable-led option.

On the cheese board, try a firm goat’s-milk cheese or a moderately aged sheep’s-milk cheese, with olives and crusty bread alongside. Serve slightly cool and let the peppery aromas and dark fruit unfold in the glass as dinner gets going.