Juan Francisco Fariña Pérez The Quiet Champion of Güímar
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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.
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The Wines


Los Loros Sobre Lías cuvée comes from Listan Blanco vines grown on terraces high on the island. The grapes were hand-harvested in 15kg boxes, destemmed and gently pressed after a 24 hour cold maceration. The juice is racked into tank for spontaneous fermentation and aging on fine lees without malolactic fermentation for 7-8 months. The finished wine is bottled with a light fining (bentonite) but no filtration, and a tiny dose of SO2.
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Los Loros Albillo Criollo comes from young vines grown on terraces high on the island. The grapes were hand-harvested in 15kg boxes, destemmed and gently pressed after a 24 hour cold maceration. The juice is racked into steel tank for spontaneous fermentation and aging on fine lees for 4 months. The finished wine is bottled with a light fining (bentonite) but no filtration, and a tiny dose of SO2.

Los Loros "La Bota de Mateo" cuvée comes from very old, pie franco Listan Blanco vines grown on terraces very high on the island. Grapes are hand-harvested in 15kg boxes, destemmed and gently pressed after a 24 hour cold maceration. The juice is racked into an old 500L Manzanilla cask (bota) for spontaneous fermentation and aging on fine lees for 13 months. The finished wine is bottled without fining or filtration, and only modest amounts of SO2.

Los Loros Tinto cuvée comes from mostly Listan Negro vines, plus a little Tintilla and Listan Blanco, grown on terraces very high on the island. Grapes are hand-harvested in 15kg boxes, 20% destemmed and fermented half in steel tank and half in used French oak barrels, and after 6 months racks them and swaps these vessels for another 6 months aging. The finished wine is bottled without fining or filtration, and only modest amounts of SO2. 

Location

General Info

  • Founded: 1998
  • Region: Tenerife, Canary Islands
  • Appellation: Valle de Güímar
  • Village: Arafo
  • Elevation: ​700-1,300 meters
  • Climate: Atlantic
  • Soils: ​Volcanic sand
  • Vineyard Land: 2.5 Ha 
  • Farming: Practicing organic
  • Grower: Juan Francisco Fariña Pérez

The Cellar

Gallery