Canary Islands: Appellations, Islands and Grapes

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of Spain whose wines are covered by eleven protected designations of origin listed by the Instituto Canario de Calidad Agroalimentaria (ICCA), the quality body of the Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Soberanía Alimentaria of the Gobierno de Canarias. The ICCA lists DOP La Palma, DOP El Hierro, DOP Gran Canaria, DOP Valle de Güímar, DOP La Gomera, DOP Lanzarote, DOP Valle de la Orotava, DOP Tacoronte-Acentejo, DOP Ycoden-Daute-Isora, DOP Islas Canarias and DOP Abona, each with its own consejo regulador. Ten of them cover a single island or a district within an island, while the DOP Islas Canarias covers wines made across the whole territory of the archipelago. The ICCA places the origin of the vineyard between the 14th and 15th centuries, with the arrival of the conquerors, and records no evidence of it before then. Colonists from many different places brought a large number of varieties that adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of the islands, so that almost a hundred varieties are grown, some of them unique in the world. The ICCA names Malvasía as the variety that has given the wines of the archipelago most of their fame. The islands also stand apart phytosanitarily: the Gobierno de Canarias records that when phylloxera reached Spain in 1878 the Canary Islands were left free of the pest, that the status of Daktulosphaira vitifoliae in the islands is absent, and that a focus was detected at the end of July 2025 in a garden vine arbour and nearby semi-abandoned ground at Valle de Guerra, in the municipality of San Cristóbal de La Laguna on Tenerife.

• Eleven wine DOPs listed by the ICCA, ten island or district denominations plus the archipelago-wide DOP Islas Canarias
• Vineyard origin placed between the 14th and 15th centuries, with almost a hundred varieties grown, some unique in the world (ICCA)
• Malvasía named by the ICCA as the variety that has given the archipelago's wines most of their fame
• Phylloxera reached Spain in 1878 with the Canary Islands left free of it; status recorded as absent, with a focus detected at the end of July 2025 at Valle de Guerra, Tenerife (Gobierno de Canarias)

Canary viticulture is worked on volcanic ground, and the ICCA describes it as an example of a struggle against a hostile environment. On Lanzarote the grower digs deep hollows in the volcanic ash down to vegetal soil, which shelters the vine from the wind while collecting humidity from the air and preventing evaporation, and builds low stone walls to protect the vines from the prevailing wind; the ICCA singles out the landscape of La Geria and notes that yield per vine is low under these conditions. On La Gomera the broken relief of the island forced growers to build small stone terraces that soften the steep slopes and make any mechanisation impossible. In the Valle de la Orotava, at the foot of Teide, vines are trained in the cordón system parallel to the ground at 60 to 100 centimetres, in long braided cords that in some cases run more than eight metres on wooden supports. Altitude and exposure vary sharply from one denomination to the next. In Abona the vineyards run from sea level, where traditional varieties such as Malvasía are being encouraged, up to summit zones such as the municipality of Vilaflor, the highest municipality in Spain. Valle de Güímar extends from the medianías up to 1,600 metres at its summits. On El Hierro most plantings sit at low altitude above sea level, which the ICCA links to very fast ripening, with smaller plantings in high areas such as El Pinar; soils there are mostly sandy and the vineyard runs through the valleys and some mountain slopes, the main producing areas being the Valle del Golfo, Sabinosa, El Pinar and Echedo. In the Valle de la Orotava the sea of clouds that affects the district during ripening is credited by the ICCA with giving the reds and rosés of the zone their particular notes.

• Lanzarote: deep hollows dug in volcanic ash down to vegetal soil, plus low stone walls against the prevailing wind, with low yield per vine (ICCA)
• Valle de Güímar: vineyards from the medianías up to 1,600 metres (ICCA)
• Abona: vineyards from sea level to summit zones such as Vilaflor, the highest municipality in Spain (ICCA)
• Valle de la Orotava: vines trained in braided cordón at 60 to 100 centimetres, in a district affected by the sea of clouds during ripening (ICCA)
• El Hierro: mostly sandy soils, most plantings at low altitude, main areas Valle del Golfo, Sabinosa, El Pinar and Echedo (ICCA)

The ICCA lists eleven wine DOPs with their consejos reguladores. Tacoronte-Acentejo was the first denomination of origin created in the Canary Islands, in 1992, followed by Lanzarote in 1993. The consejo regulador of El Hierro started in 1994, and La Palma, Valle de la Orotava and Ycoden-Daute-Isora all date from 1994. Abona obtained its denomination of origin in 1995 and Valle de Güímar was created in 1995. La Gomera was created in 2003, and Gran Canaria in 2005, after the unification of the two denominations of origin that existed on that island until then, Gran Canaria and Monte Lentiscal. The DOP Islas Canarias sits across the archipelago. It was officially recognised and published in the Boletin Oficial de Canarias number 93 of May 11, 2011, which approved its reglamento, and it is of voluntary adherence and can coexist with the existing denominations of origin. It grew out of the Asociación de Viticultores y Bodegueros de Canarias (AVIBO), which under article 31 of Ley 6/2019 of April 9 on Canary agri-food quality is the association and management body of the DOP, working under the administrative tutelage of the ICCA. Under Decreto 39/2016 of April 25 the ICCA lists AGROCOLOR, S.L. and SOHISCERT, S.A. as the entities authorised to certify the product Vino de Calidad de las Islas Canarias covered by a protected designation of origin. On its own labelling the DOP Islas Canarias, which trades as Canary Wine, sets out four classifications: Vino de Región, from parcels across the archipelago; Vino de Isla, from parcels within one of the islands recognised as a smaller geographic unit for the DOP, Tenerife or Fuerteventura; Vino de Municipio, from parcels in a single municipality where the wine is also made and bottled; and Vino de Parcela, from a parcel in a site whose soil and microclimate set it apart from its surroundings.

• Tacoronte-Acentejo 1992, Lanzarote 1993, El Hierro consejo regulador 1994, La Palma 1994, Valle de la Orotava 1994, Ycoden-Daute-Isora 1994 (ICCA)
• Abona 1995, Valle de Güímar 1995, La Gomera 2003, Gran Canaria 2005 after unifying Gran Canaria and Monte Lentiscal (ICCA)
• DOP Islas Canarias recognised and published in the Boletin Oficial de Canarias number 93 of May 11, 2011; voluntary adherence, coexisting with the existing denominations (AVIBO, ICCA)
• Canary Wine labelling tiers: Vino de Región, Vino de Isla, Vino de Municipio, Vino de Parcela (DOP Islas Canarias)
• AGROCOLOR, S.L. and SOHISCERT, S.A. authorised under Decreto 39/2016 of April 25 to certify Vino de Calidad de las Islas Canarias (ICCA)

The hub below follows the eleven Canary DOPs that organise this wiki. Areas described by the ICCA are cultivated or censused areas in the district, while the hectares reported by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture are the surface registered with each DOP at the end of the 2022/2023 campaign, so the two sets are not measured the same way.

• Abona: obtained its denomination of origin in 1995 and covers 1,200 hectares across the medianías and summits of the southern cone of Tenerife, in Fasnia, Arico, Granadilla de Abona, San Miguel de Abona, Vilaflor, Arona and Adeje. White vines are 80 percent of the plantings and reds the remaining 20 percent, with Listán Blanco the majority variety (ICCA).
• El Hierro: vine growing on the island began in 1526 and the consejo regulador of the denomination of origin started in 1994. The DOP covers the whole island and draws on about 208 hectares of censused vineyard, with mostly sandy soils and Vijariego, called Verijadiego Blanca on the island, predominant among the whites (ICCA).
• Gran Canaria: created in 2005 after unifying the Gran Canaria and Monte Lentiscal denominations, it covers the whole island with a total of about 250 hectares, 230 of them registered, in small parcels mostly in the medianías and summits. Negra Común, that is Listán Negro, is the most used variety and Moscatel de Alejandría the majority white (ICCA).
• Islas Canarias: the archipelago-wide DOP, recognised in the Boletin Oficial de Canarias number 93 of May 11, 2011, managed by AVIBO under the tutelage of the ICCA. Adherence is voluntary and coexists with the island denominations, and the Ministry of Agriculture recorded 587 registered hectares, 682 growers and 46 registered wineries in the 2022/2023 campaign.
• La Gomera: created in 2003 with around 120 hectares registered, worked on small stone terraces built to soften the steep slopes, which rule out mechanisation. Forastera Gomera is the main variety and most of the wines are white (ICCA).
• La Palma: the denomination dates from 1994, covers the whole island and is divided into three subzones, Hoyo de Mazo, Fuencaliente and Norte, with a censused area of around 800 hectares. The Malvasía Dulce of the Fuencaliente subzone and the Vino de Tea, aged in casks of Canary pine, are its distinctive bottlings (ICCA).
• Lanzarote: created in 1993 and covering the whole island, with the landscape of La Geria singled out by the ICCA. Growers dig deep hollows in volcanic ash and build low stone walls against the wind, yields per vine are low, and Malvasía is the leading variety ahead of Listán Blanco, Moscatel, Diego and Burra Blanca, with most production going to white wines in styles from young and crianza to liqueur and sparkling (ICCA).
• Tacoronte-Acentejo: the first denomination of origin created in the Canary Islands, in 1992, on the north side of Tenerife across La Laguna, Tegueste, Tacoronte, El Sauzal, La Matanza de Acentejo, La Victoria de Acentejo, Santa Úrsula, El Rosario and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Anaga). It runs for 23 kilometres over a cultivated area of 1,583 hectares and is known mainly for young red wines (ICCA).
• Valle de Güímar: created in 1995 in the valley of the same name in the south of Tenerife, with vineyards from the medianías up to 1,600 metres and around 700 hectares in Arafo, Candelaria and Güímar. White vines make up 85 percent of the plantings, led by Listán Blanco, and the district makes a wide range of white wines including sparkling (ICCA).
• Valle de la Orotava: created in 1994 in the north of Tenerife with some 700 hectares of vineyard across Los Realejos, Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava. Vines are trained in the braided cordón system, and Listán Negro and Listán Blanco account for 40 percent and 55 percent of plantings (ICCA).
• Ycoden-Daute-Isora: created in 1994 in the north west of Tenerife, across San Juan de la Rambla, La Guancha, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico, Los Silos, El Tanque, Buenavista del Norte, Santiago del Teide and Guía de Isora. Training systems range from the Portuguese emparrado to the modern espaldera over an estimated 2,000 hectares, of which 330 are registered with the consejo regulador (ICCA).

The ICCA reports that colonists brought a large number of varieties to the islands and that almost a hundred are grown, some of them unique in the world, with Malvasía named as the variety that has given Canary wines most of their fame. In the Valle de la Orotava Listán Blanco accounts for 55 percent of plantings and Listán Negro for 40 percent. In Abona white vines are 80 percent of the plantings with Listán Blanco the majority variety, and in Valle de Güímar white vines are 85 percent with Listán Blanco again in the lead. Ycoden-Daute-Isora reports Listán Blanco and Listán Negro as its predominant varieties. The smaller islands hold their own leading varieties. On Lanzarote Malvasía is the leading variety, followed by Listán Blanco, Moscatel, Diego and Burra Blanca, with Listán Negro the most significant red. On Gran Canaria the most used variety is Negra Común, that is Listán Negro, followed by Tintilla, Vijariego Negra, Negramoll and Castellana, while Moscatel de Alejandría is the majority white. On El Hierro the white plantings are led by Vijariego, called Verijadiego Blanca on the island, alongside Listán Blanco, Pedro Jiménez, Baboso, Gual and the aromatic Bermejuelo, with Listán Negro, Negramoll, Baboso Negro, Vijariego Negro and Tintilla among the reds. On La Gomera the main variety is Forastera Gomera, which the ICCA describes as marked by aromatic intensity and acidity, with Listán Blanco and Malvasía also planted in white and Listán Negro, Tintilla and Castellana in red. Tacoronte-Acentejo lists Listán Negro, Negramoll, Tintilla, Castellana Negra, Ruby Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Syrah among reds and Listán Blanco, Gual, Malvasía, Moscatel and Verdello among whites.

• Valle de la Orotava: Listán Blanco 55 percent and Listán Negro 40 percent of plantings (ICCA)
• Abona: 80 percent white vines, 20 percent red, Listán Blanco the majority variety (ICCA)
• Valle de Güímar: 85 percent white vines, led by Listán Blanco (ICCA)
• Lanzarote: Malvasía the leading variety, then Listán Blanco, Moscatel, Diego and Burra Blanca; Listán Negro the most significant red (ICCA)
• Gran Canaria: Negra Común, that is Listán Negro, the most used variety, and Moscatel de Alejandría the majority white (ICCA)
• La Gomera: Forastera Gomera the main variety, described by the ICCA as marked by aromatic intensity and acidity

The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture publishes campaign data for every Spanish wine DOP. For the 2022/2023 campaign it recorded the following surfaces registered at the end of the campaign, with the number of growers in brackets: Lanzarote 1,877 hectares (1,835), Abona 808 hectares (1,433), Islas Canarias 587 hectares (682), La Palma 461 hectares (816), Valle de la Orotava 184 hectares (400), Valle de Güímar 154 hectares (400), La Gomera 125 hectares (234), El Hierro 122 hectares (247), Gran Canaria 190 hectares (294), Ycoden-Daute-Isora 97 hectares (336) and Tacoronte-Acentejo 71 hectares (1,148). Because adherence to the DOP Islas Canarias is voluntary and coexists with the island denominations, its area is not a separate block to be added to the others. Qualified wine volume for the same 2022/2023 campaign, with the 2021/2022 figure in brackets, was 11,621 hectolitres for Lanzarote (14,221), 6,780 for Islas Canarias (5,391), 6,672 for Abona (5,192), 6,620 for Tacoronte-Acentejo (7,791), 6,032 for La Palma (2,786), 2,285 for Valle de Güímar (2,039), 1,716 for Valle de la Orotava (1,763), 1,413 for Gran Canaria (2,032), 1,240 for Ycoden-Daute-Isora (1,065), 866 for El Hierro (598) and 414 for La Gomera (344). The same report counted registered wineries in the 2022/2023 campaign at 46 for Islas Canarias, 43 for Gran Canaria, 33 for Lanzarote, 31 for Tacoronte-Acentejo, 22 for La Gomera, 21 for La Palma, 21 for Valle de la Orotava, 20 for Abona, 13 for El Hierro, 12 for Valle de Güímar and 8 for Ycoden-Daute-Isora.

• Lanzarote: 1,877 hectares registered and 1,835 growers at the end of the 2022/2023 campaign (MAPA)
• Abona: 808 hectares and 1,433 growers in the 2022/2023 campaign (MAPA)
• Lanzarote qualified 11,621 hectolitres in 2022/2023, against 14,221 hectolitres in 2021/2022 (MAPA)
• La Palma qualified 6,032 hectolitres in 2022/2023, against 2,786 hectolitres in 2021/2022 (MAPA)
• Registered wineries in 2022/2023 ranged from 8 in Ycoden-Daute-Isora to 46 in Islas Canarias (MAPA)

Primary sources (Instituto Canario de Calidad Agroalimentaria and Gobierno de Canarias, and the DOP Islas Canarias): https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/dopIslasCanarias.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/tacoronte.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/abona.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/Lanzarote.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/elHierro.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/granCanaria.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/guimar.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/laGomera.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/laOrotava.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/laPalma.html, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agpsa/icca/temas/productos_calidad/vinos/ycoden.html, https://www.canarywine.com/transparencia/, https://www.canarywine.com/singularidad/, https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/agricultura/temas/sanidad_vegetal/filoxera/. Secondary source: https://www.mapa.gob.es/dam/mapa/contenido/alimentacion/temas/calidad-agroalimentaria/2017-calidad-diferenciada/2-etgs--especialidades-tradicionales-garantizadas/datos-estadisticos/vinos-con-dop--campanas-2000-2023/informedops2022-2023.pdf. Last verified 2026-09-16