The winery Frontón de Oro, that launched and participated, among others, in the creation of the Denomination of Origin Gran Canaria, was established almost by chance as a result of an agriculturist family’s decisions in order to cope with the market’s vicissitudes.

Antonio Ramírez Suárez – the father of the present day vintners, the brothers Pedro and Antonio – bought the country house that gives their wines its name, El Frontón from La Lechuza, shortly after getting married. There he prepared the terrain to tone down the strong inclinations of the hillsides and planted three bushels of dessert grape vines, which he sold well at the Vegueta market in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. But after a few years of good prices for the first harvests, more difficult times came and he got rid of a big part of the plantations, which he substituted with other products that promised better sales: artichokes, watermelons, peppers and string beans.

Antonio Ramírez – the father of the present day vintners – bought the country house El Frontón from La Lechuza, shortly after getting married and prepared the terrain to tone down the strong inclinations of the hillsides

The transition from one generation to the next in the family economy arrived when the children joined the farming activity, which also meant rethinking the crops, especially because of the high expenses of the water. “We decided to plant only vines again, given that it is a crop that does not need much water and it adapted perfectly,” tells his son Pedro, who now manages the winery – they do not plant dessert grapes anymore –, while his brother Antonio is in charge of the lands.

In 1995, they made their first wine (a red, which they sold in bulk) and in 1996 they decided to bottle it as “table wine.” Since then, the range of wines has increased with the years, now protected by the Denomination of Origin Gran Canaria and Islas Canarias, at the same time as they have diversified the grape varieties they plant: three reds, one rosé and three whites. Wines that, since 2010 and especially the reds, are exported to the United States with great success.

In 1995, they made their first wine (a red, which they sold in bulk) and in 1996 they decided to bottle it as “table wine.” Since then, the range of wines has increased with the years

■ SAT Camaretas Finca El Frontón (La Lechuza), 35329 Vega de San Mateo (Gran Canaria) Phone number: (34) 928 660 661 Cell number: (34) 670 634 863 Email: frontondeoro@hotmail.com Homepage: www.frontondeoro.com ● Capacity: 140.000 liters. ● Average production: 75.000 bottles/year. ● Exportation: United States, Canada.