Bodega Hermanos Mesa, Locartas Blanco

What is it about white wines from the Canary Islands? Perhaps it's the Atlantic winds, the volcanic slopes climbing abruptly toward the clouds, or is it the remarkable survival of ancient viticultural traditions? Whatever the explanation, the islands’ finest white wines possess an intrigue and style that is unmistakably their own: intensely saline, smoky, citrus-laced, and alive with volcanic energy. Today's 2023 “Locartas” from Bodega Hermanos Mesa is a perfect ambassador. Every sip seems to capture the dramatic landscape of the Valle de Güímar—the scent of warm lava rock after rain, sea breezes sweeping inland from the Atlantic, and the piercing freshness that only high-elevation island vineyards can achieve. It is one of those rare wines that feels less like a beverage than a direct expression of place.

Bodega Hermanos Mesa is a small, family-run estate in the village of Arafo, where generations of the Mesa family have farmed vineyards overlooking Tenerife's southeastern coast. Their philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: preserve the indigenous varieties of the Canary Islands, farm small parcels with minimal intervention, and allow each wine to speak honestly of its origin. While the winery produces several highly individual bottlings from single vineyards and ancient parcels, Locartas serves as their village wine—a traditional expression of the Valle de Güímar assembled from numerous hillside vineyards, much as local families have done for generations. It is a deeply regional wine, rooted more in landscape than in cellar technique.

The wine itself is 100% Listán Blanco, the Canary Islands' historic white grape, drawn from roughly a dozen small parcels scattered between 300 and 1,000 meters above sea level. Those vineyards differ in exposure, vine age and training method, but share the valley's distinctive volcanic jable soils—a mixture of porous volcanic material, with certain sites containing a meaningful proportion of clay that contributes additional depth and texture. Every vineyard is harvested by hand before fermenting with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Rather than rushing the wine to bottle, the Mesa family allows it to rest for a minimum of six months on its lees in the same tanks, building subtle texture while preserving the crystalline purity and mineral precision that define both the grape and the valley.

Served at 52°F in a medium Bordeaux stem, Locartas reveals layer after layer of citrus blossom, fresh herbs, crushed volcanic stone, fennel and smoky mineral notes. The palate is brisk, mouthwatering and remarkably persistent, carrying flavors of lemon zest, green orchard fruit and sea spray across a long, saline finish that seems to echo long after the wine is gone. There may be no finer companion than Sancocho Canario, the Canary Islands' beloved dish of salted fish served with wrinkled potatoes, sweet potatoes and vibrant mojo sauces. The wine's vivid acidity and Atlantic salinity effortlessly refresh the palate after the richness of the fish, while its volcanic minerality mirrors the earthy potatoes and smoky character of the island itself. It is the sort of pairing that feels less like food and wine than two expressions of the same remarkable landscape.