Envinate, La Santa de Ursula, Tacoronte Acentejo 2021 - 150cl
Some bottles are made for a room full of people, and the magnum of Envínate's La Santa de Úrsula is one of them. The wine is the same restless Atlantic red the collective draws from La Carujera in Tacoronte-Acentejo, on Tenerife's cooler north-east coast — century-old Listán Negro and Negramoll rooted in sand, clay and volcanic basalt above the sea. In 150cl the wine also ages more slowly and evenly, so this format rewards a little patience as much as it rewards a crowd.
Expect white pepper, wild raspberry and pomegranate on the nose, then chalk, woodsmoke and a stony, tarry edge that is pure Tenerife. Fermented with whole clusters and raised in neutral oak, nothing here is dressed up. The palate is medium-bodied and taut, wild red berries and a floral lift riding fine, silky tannins and a vivid salt-and-mineral acidity that runs long into a savoury finish. From the magnum it feels a shade more composed and slow to unfurl; open it across an evening and it keeps revealing itself. Good drinking over the next four to five years.
How to Serve
Serve at 14°C in Burgundy glasses. Given the format, decant for thirty minutes to help the larger volume open across the table.
Where to Drink It
The River Cafe: a magnum suits a long lunch by the water.
Planque: a cellar that celebrates bottles worth sharing.
Brat Climpson's Arch: live fire and a big bottle for a group.
Food Pairings
A whole roast chicken for the table, skin crisped over herbs — generous food for a generous format.
