For many wine drinkers, volcanic wine regions hold a particular allure. Some seem exotic, such as the craterous, moon-like landscape of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Others seem dangerous; Sicily’s Mount Etna erupted multiple times in 2024 alone. Still others, like picturesque Santorini, are a relic of a far distant past.
But perhaps more importantly, volcanic regions have highly distinct soils that often result in equally distinct wines. The singularity of these wines often brings both winemakers and drinkers back to these regions time and time again.
As seasonal drinking shifts from light and bright to more savory and concentrated, now is the perfect time to stock up on a selection of volcanic wines. With that in mind, SevenFifty Daily reached out to wine buyers from across the country to find out which volcanic wines they’re recommending now. (All wines are listed with suggested retail price per bottle.)
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Bodega Los Bermejos Listán Negro Rosado 2023, Lanzarote, Spain; $34
Selected by Sipha Lam, owner, Wilder Wines, Burlington, Vermont
Lanzarote is surely one of Earth’s most dramatic landscapes, from its black volcanic soils to the crater-like hollows, known as hoyos, built to trap moisture and protect each vine from the wind. “It looks like another world,” says Sipha Lam, the owner of Vermont’s Wilder Wines. “Its harsh growing conditions and soil really make [Los Bermejos’] rosé unique. The rosé is 100 percent Listán Negro, a grape native to the Canary Islands, and really speaks to its place and history. It’s vibrant, mineral-driven, with a hint of salt.”
Nervi-Conterno Gattinara 2017, Piedmont, Italy; $112
Selected by Nick Schulman, corporate wine director, RPM Restaurants, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas
“Few things excite me more than volcanic vineyards,” says Nick Schulman, the corporate wine director for RPM Restaurants. In fact, Schulman has dedicated an entire page of their wine list to the volcanic region of Gattinara in northern Piedmont. “Gattinara stands out as the only appellation in Piedmont that is exclusively volcanic, setting it apart from the clay or limestone-rich soils of Barbaresco and Barolo.” The 2017 was a particularly special vintage of this bottling from Nervi-Conterno. “In 2017, the estate’s finest single-vineyard cuvées were not individually released; instead, they were incorporated into this standard Gattinara bottling, delivering extraordinary quality at a significantly lower price point.”
Los Loros Listán Negro 2021, Tenerife, Spain; $32
Selected by Femi Oyediran, co-owner, Graft Wine Shop, Charleston, South Carolina
At Graft, a neighborhood wine shop and bar in Charleston, co-owner Femi Oyediran seeks out small growers that emphasize unique and delicious wine. A prime example is Los Loros. “[Winemaker Juan Francisco Fariña] works with some of the highest-altitude vineyards in Europe in Valle de Güímar, a small DO at the northeastern tip of Tenerife,” says Oyediran. “The Listán Negro comes from old vines planted to volcanic sand and limestone between 700 and 1300 meters. Aromatically, it’s a party: wild strawberry and cherry meet savory pepper and earthy notes that expand as the wine opens up.”
From left to right: Matt Whitney, the wine director of Sunny’s Steakhouse; Baettig Vino De Viñedo ‘Los Parientes’ Chardonnay 2022. Photos courtesy of Matt Whitney.
Baettig Vino De Viñedo ‘Los Parientes’ Chardonnay 2022, Traiguén, Chile; $35
Selected by Matt Whitney, wine director, Sunny’s Steakhouse, Miami
Traiguén, which is located 375 miles south of Santiago in the Malleco Valley, is a cool, marginal winegrowing region—with active volcanoes nearby. Baettig has emerged as one of the region’s leading producers, focusing on terroir-driven Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. “Baettig is one of the most exciting projects coming out of Chile, and the wines are delicious,” says Matt Whitney, the wine director for Sunny’s in Miami, which is set to reopen next month. “This Chardonnay packs so much complexity and over delivers for the price point.”
Envínate ‘Migan’ Tinto 2021, Tenerife, Spain; $39
Selected by Garret Smith, sommelier and operations coordinator, Thatcher’s Wine, Los Angeles
Envínate, which translates to “wine yourself,” was founded by four friends who met while studying enology in Spain. Their goal was to explore Spain’s distinctive terroirs, particularly in the Canary Islands. “Envínate is a producer that exemplifies what excites me about volcanic wine,” says Garret Smith, a sommelier at Thatcher’s Wine Brentwood, a new, experiential wine shop in Los Angeles. “[The Migan Tinto] originates from century-old, braided Listán Negro vines … grown on volcanic soils at an elevation of 600 meters. All of these unique elements, from the volcanic soil to seasonal growing and indigenous grapes, make Envínate and Migan Tinto a top example of volcanic wine.”
Bodegas Viñátigo Marmajuelo 2022, Tenerife, Spain; $32
Selected by Annie Edrington, sales, education, and social media, Flatiron Wines, New York City
For Annie Edrington, who works in sales, education, and social media at Flatiron Wines in New York City, part of what makes Viñátigo’s Marmajuelo so interesting is the story behind the unusual grape variety. “Not only does it show that volcanic combination of elegance and concentration with a dark-rock-minerally vibe, it’s a completely individual grape variety, rescued from obscurity by winemaker Juan Jesus,” she says. The white grape Marmajuelo was discovered by Jeses on Hierro, the smallest of the Canary Islands, and thanks to its deep color, it’s often referred to as liquid gold. “[It has] very bright acidity, with a bit of weight from lees aging and a light tropical edge,” adds Edrington. “[It’s a] fascinating wine.”
Belle Pente Vineyard ‘Murto Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2019, Dundee Hills, Oregon; $45
Selected by Andy Fortgang, co-owner, Flor Wines, Portland, Oregon
According to co-owner Andy Fortgang, the selection at Flor Wines in Portland, Oregon, leans European, and regions like Mount Etna and the Canary Islands are go-tos for volcanic wines. But given their location, it’s hard to look past their own backyard. “Oregon’s official state soil is Jory,” explains Fortgang. “Jory soil comes from ancient lava flows that covered much of the Pacific Northwest millions of years ago. It is the remnants of those ancient flows that are the heart of what makes Dundee Hills Pinot, well, taste like Dundee Hills Pinot.” This Pinot Noir from Belle Pente Vineyard is made from 40-year-old, own-rooted vines planted in the heart of the Dundee Hills. “The wine is redolent with red and black fruit, spice, delicate herbs, and just a touch of funky forest floor earthiness,” adds Fortgang.
Envínate ‘Benje’ Blanco 2016, Tenerife, Spain; $35
Selected by Will Taylor, sommelier, La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels, New York City
“I fell in love with the Envínate wines when I first moved to New York back in 2019,” says Will Taylor, a sommelier at La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels’ new location in the Flatiron neighborhood of Manhattan, which opened in June. “I am lucky enough to have some 2016s on the list now. Benje is made from 100 percent Listán Blanco, and this wine always offers incredible smoky aromatics and intense minerality to go along with a nice core of fruit pronounced by bottle age.”
Dispatch
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Caitlin A. Miller is a New York-based wine writer and the current associate editor for SevenFifty Daily. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Vinous, and Christie’s International Real Estate Magazine. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and was the recipient of the 2020 Vinous Young Wine Writer Fellowship.
