La Gomera

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The island covers 369 km² in area, reaches a maximum elevation of 1,487 metres, and has a perimeter of 118 kilometres, with a maximum-altitude-to-surface ratio among the highest in the world.
• The topography originates from an ancient volcanic massif that has seen no eruptions since the Pliocene, eroded down to form a central plateau at around 1,000 metres and deep, radial ravines.
• Three climatic zones exist: a northern zone below 900 metres under the trade winds, a central zone above 900 metres with condensation humidity, and a dry leeward zone oriented west–south–east.
• Mean annual rainfall is 370 mm, with an annual volume of 173 hm³, and the correlation between precipitation and altitude varies between 30 and 60 mm per 100 metres of elevation gain.
• Soils above 700 metres show ferrallitic weathering that grades into brown soils with fersiallitic characteristics between 700 and 400 metres, and into vertisols below 400 metres under a semi-arid climate.
• The absence of fresh volcanic material inputs over the past two million years distinguishes La Gomera pedologically from the rest of the Canary Islands.

• The first settlers of La Gomera came from widely varied origins — Portugal, Flanders, Andalucía, Castile, Genoa, France, and England — and brought grape varieties native to their home countries.
• Gomeran vine-growers cultivated their vineyards on terraces cut into mountain slopes, reminiscent of Egyptian and Inca terracing, and the vineyards occupy slightly more than 800 hectares on steeply sloping terrain.
• 85% of La Gomera's vineyard area is planted with the Forastera Blanca variety, which accounts for 90% of the traditional blend and 100% of the single-varietal wine.

• The wines of La Gomera display an orange-tinged colour range, more or less pronounced depending on whether they are white, rosé, or red, and present across virtually all wine types.
• The Forastera Blanca variety contributes a high acidity to the wines, which is perfectly balanced with the remaining components of the wine.

• The high acidity of the wines results from the combination of the pedological weathering of the soils and the climatic conditions of the island.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (pliego de condiciones).

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• National pliego de condiciones (PDF)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-A0111
• Official trade body site — D.O. La Gomera