Photo credit: Pamela Heywood licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
When it comes to wine recommendations, like other aspects of resort life, Abama expects nothing less than the extraordinary. And if you want the best, you have to go to the best.
El Gusto por el Vino is a longtime Abama collaborator and supplier that has accompanied us through numerous Owners Cups and other events. This Tenerife family business is passionate about wine and dedicated to its craft. It’s headed by entrepreneur Toño Armas and his two children, Ayoze and Tayri, who together have always demonstrated the things we love most about Canary Islands culture: warmth, humility, excellence, and a tremendous work ethic. As a family-run enterprise, they believe firmly in social, environmental, and economic sustainability, bringing together tradition with constant innovation to lead the future. Together, they have succeeded in positioning the company as the largest wine distributor and online wine shop in the Canary Islands.
The history
The fruit of a profound love of everything revolving around viticulture, enology, and spirits, El Gusto por el Vino was a true passion project founded by Tenerife businessmen Antonio Armas Febles and Mario Cedrés Febles. They had previously headed Comercial DOFE SL, a well-known Canary Islands promotor, seller and distributor of food, drink, perfume, and cleaning products.
With the dawning of the new millennium and the arrival of supermarkets to the Canary Islands, it was clear that there was demand for specialization and professionalization in certain sectors, such as hotels, restaurants, and cafés, to offer personalized attention to clients who were becoming more knowledgeable and demanding, and whose consumption habits were changing rapidly. Around the year 2000 is when they founded El Gusto por el Vino as a specialized distributor that has since risen to lead its sector in the Canary Islands.
In 2010, they launched La Vinoteca, the largest online wine store in the archipelago, whose objective has always been to offer Canary Islanders the largest and most diverse selection of international and Canary Island wine on the islands.
The present
The wine sector has many facets, but if there’s one that is particularly visible to consumers, it’s the wine shop. This exclusive place connects people who want to discover and buy wines with bottles of wine begging to be tasted and shared. The bridge between them is the proprietor of the store, who plays a role of vital importance in buying decisions.
El Gusto por el Vino offers more than 1,000 wines that hail from the best national, Canary Islands, and Tenerife wine producers, as well as a catalogue of more than 1,000 international wines and spirits from Germany, Argentina, Australia, Chile, the United States, France, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Uruguay, and others. In a recent brand study, the results revealed that El Gusto por el Vino is the most recognized company in the Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafés sector; the best brand overall for 81% of those surveyed; and the company offering the best quality for 80% of those surveyed. We didn’t need a study to tell us that El Gusto por el Vino is the best of the best, but sometimes it’s nice to have numbers that confirm the dedication and commitment you see so clearly.
The wine
With this much choice at your fingertips, there’s nothing to do but dive in. Today, El Gusto por el Vino presents a selection of some of its recent favorite wine recommendations, and we know you’ll have a good time expanding your knowledge!
Rajadero 2021
Variety: Forastera Blanca Gomera
D.O. La Gomera
Producer: Altos de Chipude
Born on the wine-growing land of La Gomera in the town of Chipude, the Forastera Blanca Gomera stands out among other varieties. These are the origins of Rajadero, a single varietal whose nose conveys subtlety and elegance, with notes of white fruit and aniseed. This elegance is echoed on the palate, with the addition of breadth, creaminess and the minerality that characterizes the earth from which the wine comes, called "Salto los mozos". It's a wine that indubitably embraces all the virtues of the unique enclave of Mount Garajonay.
Ven al Sur 2021
Variety: Listán Negro
P.D.O. Islas Canarias
Producer: La Casmi
An easy, jovial and drinkable wine for those who want a fresh sensation on summery days. This is your Blanc de Noirs*.
First glance presents a crystalline wine with steely reflections, light legs and great clarity that's a great motivator to take the first sip. But first, inhale, and be surprised by the aromas of white and tropical fruit that are intense without being tiresome, accompanied by subtle floral nuances. Finally, let your palate translate these aromas into tactile, fresh and enveloping sensations, demonstrating a balance between sweetness and acidity that gives it good persistence.
*White wine from red grapes
Ferrera Albillo Criollo 2021
Variety: Albillo Criollo
D.O. Valle de Güímar
Producer: Ferrera
Grown in a unique enclave, a privileged spot over 1000 meters above sea level protected by the forest crown of the Teide in the Güímar Valley, this Albillo Criollo is born with unique aromas and textures. Pale yellow with medium legs and greenish reflections, its aroma offers complex notes of stone fruit with resinous notes of pine forest. On the palate, the stone fruit stands out, with a dry entry and great breadth that make it delicious on the palate and give it great persistence.
Linaje del Pago Rojo Carmín
Variety: Listán Negro
D.O. Tacoronte - Acentejo
Producer: Linaje del Pago
Visually, this wine presents an attractive, bright carmine red color, with violet edges and short legs that suggest youth. Its nose is fragrant and fresh, with floral nuances accompanied by spicy notes. On the palate it is sweet, offering an experience of red fruit flavors, with a finish that is fresh and enveloping. One for every wine lover, representing the versatility of Canary Islands reds.
Cráter Barrica 2017
Variety: Listán Negro y Negramoll
Aged: 6 months in French and American oak casks
D.O. Tacoronte – Acentejo
Producer: Cráter
Distilling the essence of a region and a traditional style of wine production, this Cráter is a perfect example of Canary Islands red wine from Tenerife. Located 400 meters above sea level, its vineyards express and reflect authenticity through their trellis cultivation system that takes maximum advantage of the entire "Terroir" wine concept with its climate, soil and variety. The first look is impressive: a garnet red with a purple rim, and middling legs and layers. On the nose, it expresses the nuances of its varieties, with notes of ripe red fruit, spices like black pepper, and sweet black licorice, and a representation of the soil's minerality in its subtle gunpowder aroma. On the palate it is dry, wide and enveloping. The flavors of ripe red fruit stand out, accompanied by a subtle final bitterness that will encourage you to continue enjoying this magnificent wine.
Learning about and enjoying wines is a lifelong endeavor, thankfully, and there will always be new wine recommendations that open your mind and palate. The key is to keep an ally alongside you that is as replete with knowledge as it is enthusiastic about sharing discoveries. Our ally is Tenerife drinks and wine specialist El Gusto por el Vino, and we’ll be looking for its great selections for years to come.
