Vijariego Blanco

Vijariego Blanco is a rare white grape variety cultivated exclusively in Spain’s Canary Islands, particularly on the islands of El Hierro and Tenerife. It is known for producing dry white wines with fresh, vibrant flavors and is sometimes blended with Palomino. Due to its naturally high acidity and sugar levels, it is also well-suited for sparkling wine production. Historically, its large, juicy berries made it popular as a table grape.

Vijariego Blanco wines are pale yellow with greenish reflections. They are characterized by crisp acidity and refreshing flavors of green apple, pear, and citrus, complemented by subtle green herb notes. The wines are fresh, lively, and aromatic, making them highly expressive of the Canary Islands’ unique volcanic terroir.

Vijariego Blanco thrives in the volcanic soils and hot, humid conditions of the Canary Islands. Unlike many European varieties, it was never affected by phylloxera, which did not reach El Hierro. Once widely planted in Andalusia, the variety was nearly wiped out on the Spanish mainland during the 19th-century phylloxera crisis. Today, it remains a key part of the Canary Islands’ winemaking tradition.

Vijariego Blanco has an extremely rare red-skinned variant known as Vijariego Negro.

It is also one of the few indigenous grapes of the Canary Islands that survived the phylloxera outbreak untouched.