Negramoll
How to Say It
The soft-skinned Atlantic grape that quietly dominates both Canary Islands reds and Madeira's fortified wine production.
Negramoll is a dark-skinned red grape variety producing light-bodied, fresh wines across the Canary Islands and Madeira. Its thin skins and large berries yield low tannins, bright acidity, and red berry character comparable to Pinot Noir. It accounts for 80% of Madeira wine production while driving a quality revival in Tenerife.
- Covers 3,000+ acres in the Canary Islands and 680 acres in Madeira
- Thin skins produce low tannins and a delicate, soft texture
- Accounts for 80% of Madeira fortified wine production
- Most extensively planted in Tacoronte-Acentejo, Tenerife's primary red wine appellation
- DNA analysis confirms South American Mollar varieties are genetically identical to Spanish Negramoll
- Name derives from Latin 'mollis' meaning soft, a reference to its soft-skinned berries
- Volcanic soils and Atlantic maritime influence add a distinctive mineral character to wines
Origins and History
Negramoll was first documented in Andalusia in 1787 under the name Mollar. From there, it was carried to the Canary Islands and Madeira, where it became widespread by the 19th century. Spanish missionaries disseminated the variety broadly throughout colonial Americas, and DNA analysis confirms that South American Mollar varieties are genetically identical to Spanish Negramoll. The name itself traces back to the Latin 'mollis,' meaning soft, a direct nod to the grape's characteristically soft, large berries.
- First recorded in Andalusia in 1787 as Mollar
- Brought from Andalusia to the Canary Islands and Madeira in the 18th century
- Spread across Spanish colonial Americas by missionaries
- South American Mollar varieties confirmed genetically identical by DNA analysis
Where It Grows
Negramoll thrives across the Canary Islands and Madeira, two Atlantic island groups shaped by volcanic geology and maritime climates. In the Canary Islands, Tenerife leads production, particularly within the Tacoronte-Acentejo appellation, which holds 2,422 hectares of terraced vineyards where Negramoll is the primary red variety. La Palma accounts for approximately 600 hectares of cultivation. Across the archipelago, total plantings exceed 3,000 acres. In Madeira, the grape covers 680 acres and forms the backbone of the island's famous fortified wines. Vineyards range from near sea level to over 1,000 meters in elevation, all planted in volcanic soils under intense UV exposure.
- Tacoronte-Acentejo is the primary Canary Islands appellation, with 2,422 hectares of terraced vineyards
- La Palma cultivation reaches approximately 600 hectares
- Also grown in Valle de la Orotava, Ycoden-Daute-Isora, and Monte de Lentiscal
- Madeira plantings total 680 acres and supply 80% of the island's wine production
Wine Style and Character
Negramoll produces light-bodied, fresh, fruity red wines with good acidity, often compared to Pinot Noir. Its thin skins contribute low tannins and a delicate texture, while large berries add higher water content, keeping wines bright and approachable. Aromas center on red berries and toffee, with a mineral edge drawn from volcanic soils and Atlantic breezes. In the Canary Islands, Negramoll is used primarily for fresh, young table wines best consumed without aging, and frequently blended with Listán Negro or other local varieties. In Madeira, it functions as the dominant base grape for the island's fortified wine tradition.
- Light-bodied with good acidity and low tannins, comparable in style to Pinot Noir
- Aromas of red berries and toffee with volcanic mineral character
- Young wines are best consumed fresh, without aging
- Commonly blended with Listán Negro in Canary Islands table wines
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Train your palate →Viticulture and Revival
Negramoll is a medium-late cycle variety with high productivity and valuable fungal resistance, making it well suited to the humid Atlantic climate of both the Canary Islands and Madeira. Its reliability and generous yields have long made it a workhorse variety. Today, a growing group of quality-focused producers in the Canary Islands is treating Negramoll as a serious fine wine grape, preserving terraced heritage vineyards and crafting single-varietal expressions that showcase its unique volcanic terroir. Producers such as Envinate, Bodegas Viñátigo, and Victoria Torres Pecís are central to this revival.
- Medium-late ripening cycle with high, reliable yields
- Fungal resistance makes it well suited to humid Atlantic conditions
- Heritage terraced vineyards on Tenerife are central to the current quality revival
- Both single-varietal and blended expressions are gaining international recognition
Light-bodied with bright acidity and low tannins. Red berry fruit, toffee, and a mineral edge from volcanic soils. Fresh and approachable in style, often compared to Pinot Noir.
- Bodegas Monje Negramoll$15-20Classic Tacoronte-Acentejo example showing red berry freshness and volcanic mineral character.Find →
- Bodegas Viñátigo Negramoll$20-35Heritage-focused producer crafting precise single-varietal Negramoll from Tenerife's terraced vineyards.Find →
- Victoria Torres Pecís Negramoll$25-40Quality-revival producer on La Palma making expressive Negramoll from volcanic Atlantic terroir.Find →
- Envinate Benje Tinto$50-70Benchmark Canary Islands red blending Negramoll from old terraced vines with striking mineral depth.Find →
- Negramoll is the primary red grape in Tacoronte-Acentejo (Tenerife) and accounts for 80% of Madeira wine production
- Thin skins produce low tannins; large berries result in higher water content and lighter body
- First documented in Andalusia in 1787 as Mollar; name derives from Latin 'mollis' (soft)
- DNA analysis confirms South American Mollar varieties are genetically identical to Negramoll
- Classified as a medium-late cycle, high-productivity variety with fungal resistance