Tajinaste Tinto Tradicional

Tajinaste is run by the indefatigable Agustín García Farrais. He works alongside his parents, Cecila (“Chilla”) and Agustín Snr., who are both sevety years old going on thirty. The bodega was started by Agustín’s grandfather. They own three hectares in the Valle de la Orotava, and their oldest vines were planted in 1914. Many are trained on the very traditional method of ‘cordon trenzado’, or “braided cordon”, a method of training vines where their branches intertwine with each other creating a sprawling plant that grows on the ground. Historically vines were trained like that so that they could easily be moved and rearranged in order to allow other crops to be planted in the same plot. 100% Listán Negro, vinified in stainless steel; one-fifth of the fruit undergoes carbonic maceration. One-third of the wine goes into American oak for two to three months before release. Augustin explains that you find good acidity from the Listán Negro that grows at higher altitudes and good body from the vines on the lower slopes.