New Grape Varieties Discovered in La Palma’s Vineyards
A groundbreaking study led by Catalan professor María Francesca Fort Marsal has revealed at least three new grape varieties and countless genetic records in three wine-growing areas of La Palma, the “Beautiful Island.” The findings were presented last week at the La Palma Professional Wine Fair, which featured all 15 wineries that make up the island’s Designation of Origin (DOP).
A Treasure Trove of Diversity in a Small Space
The scientist from the University of Tarragona led the collection of nearly a hundred samples (96), which detected 33 different vine varieties in a relatively small area. “The importance of this study lies in the perimeter it covers. The sampling isn’t like taking a single drop in the ocean, but rather in a pond,” compares Elías Manuel Bienes Fernández, an agricultural technical engineer from the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Service. He emphasizes, “It is very complicated to find so much diversity in a relatively small surface area.”
Centuries of Isolation Breed Unique Vines
The foundation of this study focuses on obtaining a series of genetic markers from the vineyards analyzed over three periods within a single year. The three new varieties are already known as aromática eufrosina, cagarruta de oveja, and viñarda rosada. These three novelties stood out above others where genetic changes were detected but were insufficient to be considered a scientific discovery. The research establishes that when more than five of the markers used as a sample differ, it can be classified as a true finding.
Having vineyards with more than five centuries of history that have remained free of phylloxera has fostered an exceptionally high variety of vines. “In addition to that antiquity, you have to consider the exposure to solar radiation, the fact that these plants are in volcanic territory, and the incidence of a tropical climate to understand a composition that is encrypted,” describes the agricultural specialist. He notes that these crops are not only threatened by the effects of climate change but also by the abandonment of farmland and dreaded pests.
Resilience and Recovery After the Volcano
The study also references the fourteen zones affected by the lava or ash from the Tajogaite eruption (2021). These areas saw notable losses in six varieties, although only one has not been successfully recovered. “It wasn’t a major problem because most of the lost vineyards have exact replicas in specific points of La Palma or even on other islands,” comments Bienes Fernández.
However, he adds a note of caution: “What we must consider in the short term is that for some of the varieties described in the research, there are no more than 15 vines left.” This alert comes before analyzing where the main core of local wine production lies. Last year’s harvest, for example, saw over 80% of the 606,885 kilograms of grapes collected concentrated in just five varieties: Listán Blanco de Canarias (196,456 kg); Negramoll (101,937 kg); Listán Negro (79,852 kg); Vijariego Negro (33,555 kg); and Listán Prieto (23,582 kg). These are the benchmarks of a genetic landscape that has just been enriched by three new varieties of La Palma vine.
