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Lanzarote is the easternmost of the Canary Islands, situated just 100km from the continent of Africa. The warmest and driest part of the Canaries, it receives a scant 6 inches of rainfall in an average year. Subjected to nearly constant winds blowing off the Sahara desert, known locally as alicios, this would be a challenging place to grow vines even if they were not planted on a vast and volatile volcanic fissure. The lunar landscape of Lanzarote was largely formed by an eruption that lasted from 1730 to 1736, which covered 200 square km of the islands with up to 3 meters of ash and lapilli. Viewed from space, this island’s most notable features are a series of calderas pockmarking a black sand and ash desert that dominates the northwestern part of the island - Los Volcanes National Park.
The raw materials of Lanzarote - the stark beauty, unique viticulture, indigenous and ancient vines have been on the mind of Rayco Fernandez for many years. A wine exporter based in Gran Canaria, Rayco had waited patiently for over a decade for someone to discover the potential of Lanzarote. Puro Rofe was created from his abiding interest in Lanzarote, his impatience, and the friends he made there. While Rayco was the impetus for its creation, Puro Rofe is a collaboration among local, like-minded grape growers Rafael (Chicho) Mota, Vicente Torres, Ascension Robayna, and Pedro Umpiérrez. They tend vineyards surrounding Los Volcanes in the villages of La Geria, Tinajo, Masdache, and Testeyna, and all practice organic farming. Puro Rofe is based in La Geria at Chicho Mota’s small, museum-like bodega, which preserves many of the traditional winemaking tools on Lanzarote - lagars, basket presses, and concrete vats which are now supplemented with clay amphorae as well.
Malvasía Vulcanica and Diego are the most prized white varieties at Puro Rofe and their Vino Blanco comes from a blend of these two varieties from various sites (along with about 5% Listán Blanco), exposures and microclimates. All the vines are around 100 years old (if not older) and are rooted in the deep, black, volcanic sands that are a hallmark of the island of Lanzarote. Malvasia provides the aromatics and depth of mineral flavors while the Diego provides the freshness and acidity.