Carmelo Peña originates from Gran Canaria, one of the beautiful Canary Islands, and his journey into the world of wine is one that resonates with many. Initially, he embarked on a path to study chemistry on the Spanish mainland. However, after exploring hospitality, he unearthed a deep passion for wine, leading him to adjust his career trajectory.
He pursued a degree in enology at Rovira i Virgili University in Tarragona, an experience that would prove pivotal in his career. One of his fellow students at the university was Luis Pedro, who later took on a role at Niepoort in the Douro Valley, where he currently oversees table wine production. Carmelo joined Niepoort as well, where he spent a couple of years working alongside notable figures such as Raul Perez in Bierzo, before returning to his roots as the winemaker at Bodega San Juan in Gran Canaria. This role allowed him to cultivate his own project, Bien de Altura, which aims to showcase the unique terroirs of the island—many of which have lain dormant—with some exceptionally old vines. He focuses primarily on the San Mateo region in the island’s northeast, where the vineyards flourish at over 1100 meters above sea level.
I first encountered Carmelo while he was crafting the Puro Rofe wines in Lanzarote, a venture he completed in 2021. Currently, he is also engaged in another exciting project in Lanzarote called Jable de Tao, with the inaugural vintage produced in 2022. Both of these endeavors yield exhilarating wines, synonymous with the quality found in Bien de Altura. True to form, his winemaking approach is minimalistic, emphasizing an infusion method for red wines as opposed to a more traditional extraction process. The terroir of both projects plays a crucial role in defining the style of the wines produced.
Additionally, he has teamed up with his friend Luis Pedro to create a Portuguese wine brand named Elemento.
Ikewen Tinto 2022 Gran Canaria
Initially produced in 2017, this wine hails from a village with vineyards that are 90 to 120 years old, situated at elevations of 1000 to 1500 meters. It consists of 80% Listan Negro, with the remainder comprising other indigenous varieties. The grapes are harvested early and undergo a 100% whole bunch fermentation, followed by a 35-day maceration on skins in stainless steel. This wine is juicy and elegant, showcasing notes of redcurrant and a subtle herbaceous quality. Its brightness and purity are remarkable. 94/100
Ikewen 2020 Gran Canaria
For this vintage, 60% of the grapes were fermented as whole bunches, with a maceration period of 45 days. The wine presents a pale red hue and is slightly cloudy. It offers an incredibly fresh and supple profile with hints of pepper. The palate is fine, featuring juicy cherries and redcurrants, complemented by exquisite elegance and impressive fruit concentration, along with delightful sappy notes. 95/100
Agan 2022 Gran Canaria
Originating from an altitude of 1200 meters, this wine is made from 100% whole bunches and is matured in oak barrels. It possesses incredible energy paired with good acidity. The structure is refined, showcasing a medley of red fruits along with pleasant spiciness and stony mineral nuances. Overall, it is vivid, grippy, and well-defined. 96/100
Agan 2020 Gran Canaria
This wine has an interesting backstory, as it began when Carmelo gifted his girlfriend 400 kg of fruit along with a barrel. She created a blend with 60% whole bunches, while he made a barrel with 100% whole bunches, and they combined the two. Sourced from a north-facing plot at 1200 meters, this wine is supple and ethereal, characterized by a pale color alongside stony, grainy notes and mineral traits. It has a wonderful texture that is light, sappy, and truly beautiful. 96/100
Tidao 2022 Gran Canaria
This wine comes from 130-year-old vines rooted in rocky soils interspersed with sand. It presents a complex peppery aroma accompanied by vibrant redcurrant fruit. On the palate, it is exceptionally vivid, delivering stony, juicy red fruits alongside some firm tannins. The wine exhibits a delightful freshness paired with solid structure. 96/100
Tidao 2020 Gran Canaria
This vintage marks the second release from a plot of 130-year-old vines situated on a southeast-facing slope at an elevation of 1100 meters. The fermentation process took place in oak, followed by aging in tank with the press lees. A blend of multiple grape varieties, including some white grapes, it is made using 100% whole bunches. The aroma is enchanting with bright, fresh notes of red cherry, complemented by hints of cranberry and dried herbs. The palate is fresh, featuring redcurrants and iodine, exhibiting a sappy and grainy character with excellent acidity. 96/100
Sansofi 2022 Gran Canaria
This vineyard was the first that Carmelo revitalized. It’s situated on a steep north-facing slope, quite exposed at an altitude of 1400 meters, with vines that are 90 years old. The wine is produced using 100% whole bunches and aged in previously used Niepoort barrels (originally for Charme). The result is a wine that is very fine, mineral, complex, and elegant, showcasing a waxy nuance alongside lively strawberry and cherry fruit, with a rich mid-palate. This wine radiates energy and brightness, presenting a focused and refined profile. 96/100
Sansofi 2020 Gran Canaria
This wine features a wonderfully textural and rounded quality. It’s supple and offers delightful red cherry and wild strawberry flavors, highlighted by warmth and sweetness. The palate is juicy with mineral and iodine complexities. An expressive character with exquisite texture is present throughout. 95/100
Ikewen Blanco 2019 Gran Canaria
Crafted in Redoma barrels from Niepoort, this wine matures for 2 years under flor. It showcases a blend of various white grape varieties. Its profile is fine, juicy, and saline, offering a delightful weight along with some mineral nuances. The palate reveals apple and pear notes. The wine presents a character reminiscent of Jura, exuding wonderful energy and a rounded mouthfeel. 95/100
The island of Lanzarote is located merely 100 km from the African coast. Its soils, boasting an age of 16 million years, are not exclusively volcanic. Some were formed beneath the ocean, which contributes to the presence of limestone alongside the renowned volcanic earth.
Jable de Tao Blanco 2022 Lanzarote
This wine emerges from various plots featuring different indigenous varieties. It is noted for its linearity, complexity, and intensity, showcasing citrus and pear flavors paired with a touch of pithiness. A salty hint enhances it, coupled with a remarkable concentration of fruit. 94/100
Jable de Tao La Diego 2022 Lanzarote
Originating from vineyards located around a volcano, this varietal Diego exhibits vibrant, salty, and pithy characteristics with enlivening tart lemon fruits and hints of orange peel. There is an impressive intensity marked by mineral tension and structure, presenting a stony and mineral quality. 95/100
Jable de Tao Tenessar 2022 Lanzarote
Malvasia Volcanico, sourced from vineyards situated 2 km from the coastline. The vines are a century old. The wine is salty and linear, showcasing delightful energy. It is fine, taut, juicy, and mineral, with subtle hints of almond and an appealing stony character. Rated 95/100.
Jable de Tao Chupadero 2022 Lanzarote
This wine originates from a Listan Blanco vineyard nestled inside a crater. It features an enticing matchstick reduction on the nose accompanied by pithy lemon fruit. Its palate is stony and mineral, bursting with energy and notes of dried herbs. It is lively and bright with a pleasing weight. Rated 95/100.
UK agent: Indigo Wine