Juan Francisco Fariña

Juan Francisco Fariña Pérez

Juan Francisco Fariña Peréz (known as JuanFra to his friends) is a progressive winemaker in the Valle de Güímar, a small DO along the eastern coast of Tenerife. JuanFra has been making wine in the area since the early 2000s, and has some of the most respectful views on farming and winemaking in the area.

Güímar is an area known for white wines, typically made with Listán Blanco, the ubiquitous white grape of the Canary Islands. It received DO status in 1996 and currently consists of 12 wineries. Ranging from 100 to 1400 meters in elevation up the slope of Las Cañadas del Teide, it includes some of the highest elevation vines in all of Europe. Trade winds coming off the Atlantic help to keep temperatures moderate (these are known as the Alisos winds), rainfall is minimal and sunshine abounds. JuanFra’s winery is located within the center of the DO, in the town of Arafo at 700-800m elevation, and most of his vines are in the surrounding area.

Juan Francisco studied winemaking in Tenerife before taking over the vineyards from his father in 1998. He grows Listán Blanco and Albillo Criollo outside his winery in Arafo. In addition to these two plots, he is also working on recuperating old and abandoned vineyards higher up the mountainside in an area called Las Dehesas. At 1400m elevation, these centenarian Listán Blanco vines are only reachable by a special tractor. These vines are very low yielding and go into one of JuanFra’s most interesting wines, a solera method blanco named “La Bota de Mateo,” aged in an old sherry cask.

Juanfra calls his project Los Loros, after the laurel shrubs that proliferate the upper parts of the Valle de Güímar. Conventional farming is typical in this area of the island, however Juanfra believes in a more holistic style of farming. Favoring a sustainable philosophy, he enjoys showcasing traditional Canarian varietals such as Listán Blanco, Vijariego Blanco, Marmajuelo, Albillo Criollo (no relation to the albillos found on the Peninsula, but a typical varietal found primarily on the island of La Palma) and Listán Negro. He owns most of his own vines, and also works with small farmers in the area, promoting sustainable practices among them. The Los Loros bodega is no bigger than a one car garage, yet Juan Francisco is doing great things in this little-known territory of Tenerife.

The Wines

Los Loros Listán Blanco 100% Listán Blanco from multiple parcels of 20-50-year-old vines rooted in volcanic sand and clay. The grapes were hand harvested, destemmed, and gently pressed with a pneumatic press. Fermented in stainless steel tank for 12 days with temperature control, then raised in the same vessel with infrequent, gentle stirring. The wine rested for 11 months in tank with some time under flor. Bottled without fining or filtering.

Los Loros Albillo Criollo comes from young vines grown on terraces high on the island. The grapes were hand-harvested, destemmed and gently pressed after a short cold maceration. The wine spent a few months in used French oak barrels on the lees, with semi-regular stirring. The finished wine is bottled with a light fining but no filtration, and a tiny dose of SO2.

Los Loros Siete Lomas is a blend of Marmajuelo, Gual, and Malvasia Aromática, indegenous grapes to the Canary Islands. The grapes are cofermented and aged in gently used oak barrels and the wine spends a few months on the lees with regular stirring before being bottled without fining or filtration and a touch of added SO2.

Los Loros Moscatel comes from 20-25-year-old vines Muscat of Alexandria vines close to the sea near Arafo. The grapes were destemmed, then fermented with their skins for 14 days. The wine was then pressed into 300L used French oak barrels to rest on its lees for 7 months, with stirring for the first 2 months. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtering and with only a very small addition of SO2.

Los Loros Vijariego Blanco comes from young vines of Vijariego Blanco (sometimes known as Diego) planted on volcanic sand and limestone at 600m above sea level near Arafo. The grapes were destemmed and macerate on their skins for a bout two weeks during fermentation, then rested in stainless steel tank for 10 months. The finished wine was bottled without fining or filtration or addition of SO2.

Los Loros La Bota de Mateo 100% Listán Blanco from a single parcel of 80-100-year-old vines rotted in volcanic stone and clay. The grapes were hand harvested, destemmed, and gently pressed with a pneumatic press. Fermented without temperature control in two 500-liter botas that had been used for Manzanilla. The wine remained in these barrels with its lees for 11 months, partially under flor. Bottled without fining or filtering and only a small addition of sulfur.

Los Loros Listán Negro 100% Listán Negro from various parcels of 40-50-year-old vines rooted in volcanic sand and limestone. The grapes were hand harvested and whole bunches were trodden in open plastic containers. Fermentation lasts for 15 days with daily punch downs to keep the cap submerged. After fermentation finishes, the wine is transferred to 500L used French oak barrels for 10 months, then racked to stainless steel tank before bottling without fining or filtering

Los Loros Vindemia is 100% Listán Negro from various parcels of 20-30-year-old vines at 350-1450m elevation. The grapes were hand harvested and split up 50/50. Half is destemmed and deposited into a stainless steel tank, and the other portion is left whole cluster, then foot trodden in plastic fermenters. Both portions were left to ferment without temperature control, then pressed and blended into a 500L used French oak barrel. Bottled after a month of rest without fining, filtration, or added SO2.

Location

General Info

Founded: 1998
Region: Tenerife, Canary Islands
Appellation: Valle de Güímar
Village: Arafo
Elevation: 100-1,400 meters
Climate: Atlantic
Soils: Volcanic sand
Vineyard Land: 2.5 Ha
Farming: Practicing organic
Grower: Juan Francisco Fariña Pérez