Tenerife celebrates a historic day with international experts and announces the “Guardian of Tenerife Wines” award

Four tastings to showcase the soul of island wines

The day began with a speech by Benjamín Lana, director of Madrid Fusión, who highlighted the uniqueness of this meeting: "It is the first time that the focus has been placed on a type of wine that is only produced in the islands."

Master of Wine Fernando Mora opened the program with the presentation “Volcanoes and sea. The deep origin of the wines of Tenerife”, focused on the personality of volcanic wines and their link with the island.

The Tenerife sommelier Rodrigo González led the tasting “Tenerife, high-altitude wines”, accompanied by local producers and references from different designations of origin on the island.

The highlight of the morning came with the “Grand International Tasting of Island Wines,” led by Luis Gutiérrez, a taster for The Wine Advocate. His tour of wines from the islands of Spain, Italy, and Portugal culminated with a historic piece: an 1860 Madeira Terrantez, a virtually irreplaceable gem.

In the afternoon, François Chartier, creator of the science of molecular harmonies, presented the “aromatic and gastronomic DNA of Tenerife”, a sensory analysis based on the dominant molecules of five emblematic wines of the island.

The closing of the tastings was led by Bernat Voraviu, founder of Ithaca Wines and Soulwines, with a selection of Mediterranean wines under the title "An inland sea, the Mediterranean as a bridge".

A meeting with leading voices in international wine

Tenerife brought together sommeliers from restaurants with 3 Michelin stars, such as Aponiente and Disfrutar; 2 stars, such as Mugaritz; and 1 star, such as Pabú. In addition, a dozen Masters of Wine, journalists, content creators, winemakers, and international oenological consultants participated.

Wide representation of Tenerife wines

Nearly half of the wines tasted came from Tenerife, highlighting the island's leading role in the island wine sector. Lope Afonso, Vice President of the Tenerife Island Council and Tourism Councillor, emphasized that this event "strengthens the international promotion strategy, linking the island's brand to excellence, sustainability, and authenticity."

The CEO of Tourism of Tenerife, Dimple Melwani, added that Tenerife wines are “a unique expression of the volcanic character, history and identity of the island.”

Announcement of the “Guardian of Tenerife Wines” award

The closing of the day was marked by a key announcement: the creation of the “Guardian of Tenerife Wines” award, an annual recognition that will distinguish the sommelier capable of representing the richness and uniqueness of Tenerife's island wines to the world.

This new award will be presented during the International Congress of Wines of the Islands of the World, which Tenerife will host in 2026.

Competition process and tests

Applicants must be practicing sommeliers with at least three years of experience and submit a CV and cover letter. Finalists will face three tests:

• Theoretical test on the wines of Tenerife.
• Blind tasting of wines from the island.
• Creative pairing challenge, in which they will design a dish that harmonizes with a wine from Tenerife.

A degree with an international focus

“The Guardian of Tenerife Wines will be an ambassador for our wines worldwide,” Benjamín Lana emphasized. The announcement also had the support of Fernando Mora MW, advisor for the event and the competition's design.

Dimple Melwani emphasized the Cabildo's commitment to training, research, and promotion within the sector. For his part, Valentín González Évora, the island councilor for the Primary Sector, noted that every wine from Tenerife "is an ambassador of our biodiversity, our microclimates, and our volcanic character."

Tenerife, epicenter of island wine

The session on November 13th is the direct prelude to the major world congress of island wines that Tenerife will host in 2026. With this initiative, the island reaffirms its position as an international benchmark in the study, promotion and celebration of wine produced in island territories.