best wine canary islands 2026

Canary Islands crowns its best wines for 2026

Two wines share top honour at Agrocanarias 2026

Pico Cho Marcial Tinto and Flor de Chasna Blanco Naturalmente Dulce have been jointly named Best Wine of the Canary Islands 2026 at the official Agrocanarias wine competition, organised by the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA). The award-winning wines are produced by SAT Viticultores de la Comarca de Güímar, under the Islas Canarias Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), and by the Cumbres de Abona Cooperative Society, under the Abona PDO.

The jury’s decision was announced on Thursday by Narvay Quintero, the Canary Islands government’s councillor for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, and by ICCA director Luis Arráez Guadalupe. The competition was held on 13 and 14 May on El Hierro and on 19 May in Tenerife.

Record number of entries and awards

A total of 251 products from 65 wineries took part in this year’s edition, 24 more than last year. In all, 71 prizes were awarded: 33 Grand Gold Medals, 33 Gold Medals and five special distinctions. Among the latter, the main new addition was the award for Best Vermouth of the Canary Islands.

The competition featured entries from ten of the archipelago’s eleven protected designations of origin. The Islas Canarias PDO submitted 62 samples from 13 companies; Abona, 51 from six wineries; Tacoronte-Acentejo, 35 from 11 producers; La Palma, 27 from eight wineries; Gran Canaria, 24 from five wineries; Lanzarote, 17 from nine companies; El Hierro, 12 from five companies; Valle de Güímar, 10 from two wineries; Valle de La Orotava, seven from three companies; and La Gomera, six wines from three firms.

In terms of total awards, the Abona PDO was the most decorated, with 20 prizes. It was followed by Islas Canarias PDO with 17, Valle de Güímar with eight, La Palma with seven, Tacoronte-Acentejo with six, Lanzarote with five, El Hierro with three, Gran Canaria with two, and Valle de La Orotava and La Gomera with one each.

The winning wines: tradition at high altitude

Pico Cho Marcial Tinto is produced by SAT Viticultores Comarca de Güímar, founded in 1989 by a group of 15 winegrowers. It was the first company in the area to produce its own bottled wine. Today, the winery is owned by 152 families and works with vineyards located at altitudes of up to 1,500 metres, on terraces that are difficult to access and, in some cases, unirrigated. The wine is characterised by its red colour with violet hues, varietal aromas with fruity notes, and a balanced profile between tannins, alcohol and acidity. It is made from very ripe grapes, macerated at 27 degrees for ten days, and aged for three months in bottle.

Flor de Chasna Blanco Naturalmente Dulce is made by the Cumbres de Abona Cooperative Society, which has been active since 1988. The organisation has more than 700 winegrower members and produces its wines in an area marked by a mild subtropical climate, plentiful sunshine and the influence of the trade winds. This wine has an intense yellow colour with golden hues, a honeyed aroma and notes reminiscent of ripe grape preserves and minerals. It is a full-bodied wine with a smooth texture and concentrated flavour, achieved through over-ripening of the grapes.

Special distinctions: organic, vermouth and enologists’ choice

The award for Best Organic Wine of the Canary Islands went to Tagalguen, by Juan Jesús Pérez Adrián, from the La Palma PDO, in the still white category of the 2024-2025 vintage. This wine also received a Grand Gold Medal.

The prize for Best Wine chosen by Enologists went to Brumas Blanco sobre Lías, from SAT Viticultores de la Comarca de Güímar, under the Valle de Güímar PDO. It also competed in the still white category of the 2024-2025 vintage and received a Grand Gold Medal.

The new distinction for Best Vermouth of the Canary Islands was awarded to Vermut Premium Gallo Rojo, from Gallo & Quíquere Wines, under the Islas Canarias PDO. The same winery also won the prize for Best Image and Presentation for Gallo Malvasía Aromático y Marmajuelo.

Grand Gold Medals: a full list of winners

Among the Grand Gold Medals were wines from wineries across different islands and categories, ranging from still whites of the most recent vintages to reds, semi-sweet wines, sweet wines, malvasías, rosés, tea wines and sparkling wines.

In the still white 2024-2025 category, award winners included 4 Lías, Martinón Blanco, Papaíno Jallos, Brumas de Ayosa, Brumas de Ayosa 100% Marmajuelo, Mencey Chasna Blanco Seco, Mi Isla Blanco Seco, Flor de Chasna Blanco Seco, Tendal Albillo Vendimia Seleccionada and Viña Frontera Blanco Louis Goudard.

Several reds also received Grand Gold Medals, including El Ancón, Trancao de Acentejo Tinto Barrica, Marba Tinto Barrica, Can, Brumas de Ayosa Tinto Joven, Mencey Chasna Tinto Maceración Carbónica, Cumbres de Abona Tinto, Gallo La Excepción de Syrah, Gallo 3 Estrellas and Magma Crianza 25º Aniversario.

In other categories, prizes went to Pico Cho Marcial Blanco Afrutado, Pagos de Reverón Rosado Afrutado, 1242 M Rosado Afrutado, Pagos de Reverón Blanco Naturalmente Dulce, Brumas de Ayosa Malvasía Aromática, Timanfaya Malvasía Dulce Natural, Ferrera Rosado Seco, Vitega Tea and Brumas de Ayosa Brut Nature.

Gold Medals: broad recognition across the islands

The Gold Medals were also spread across various categories. In still whites, recognised wines included Vitega Albillo Criollo, La Florida, El Reboso Blanco, Viñarda Blanco Ecológico, Lágrima de Malvasía Volcánica, Pagos de Reverón Blanco Ecológico Seco, Pago de Los Cercados Albillo Criollo, Pribilo, Viñarda Malvasía Aromática and Flor de Chasna Blanco Selección Premium.

In reds, Gold Medals were awarded to Viña Arese Tinto, Hacienda de Acentejo Tinto Barrica, Flor de Chasna Tinto Tradición, Quíquere, Güeya, Agala Altitud 1175, Bodega Padrón Tinto Tradicional, Magma de Cráter Crianza, Gallo Baboso Negro and Viña Frontera Baboso Negro.

The full list of awards also includes recognition for semi-dry, semi-sweet, sweet, dry rosé and sparkling wines, among them Mencey Chasna Blanco Semiseco, Crazy Wines Fisco, Marba Blanco Afrutado, Martinón Afrutado, Los Tableros Blanco Afrutado, Mi Isla Blanco Afrutado, Flor de Chasna Blanco Afrutado, Paisaje de Las Islas Naturalmente Dulce, Arroró Naturalmente Dulce, Agala Altitud 1190 Naturalmente Dulce, Mencey Chasna Rosado Seco, Tendal and Brumas de Ayosa Afrutado.

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