Actually, they were, and are, so successful that they started winning awards in 2002, and in 2014 he received ten awards in one single year. “It is crazy, I never expected that to happen, some are even international awards. I couldn’t be happier and more proud of our products.”

On his 63,000-square-meter vineyard, which includes his own estates as well as rented ones, he cultivates more that 20 varieties of grape (he buys 20% from viticulturists in El Socorro, which he assesses technically), among them Malvasia, Moscatel, Marmajuelo, Vijariego, Listán Blanco, or Listán Negro. And what is different about his wine? Domingo thinks that it is mainly about the raw material. “When I planted the estates I had criteria: a certain amount of vines of each variety, and I have a wild mix of many varieties in a unique proportion. Science and technology have advanced a lot, but wines are still made from grapes,” he says ironically.

Domingo Martín, vintner:
“We have a volcanic type of ground with black and very porous soil, through which the roots can move easily, and with good drainage when it rains a lot as well as excellent ventilation”

The climate, the altitude, and the soil have to be taken into account as well. “The soil on which the grapes are cultivated has a huge influence. We have a volcanic type of ground with black and very porous soil, through which the roots can move easily, and with good drainage when it rains a lot as well as excellent ventilation. In addition, the entire cultivations is in espalier, more comfortable as far as handling is concerned — the grapes are well-aerated and the harvest is easier.”

He defends the value of the abundant Listán grapes on the Canary Islands, especially in Tenerife, and explains their bad reputation thus; “in the 20th century Listan was used as livelihood, and it was planted at the edges of the garden in order to make a certain number of kegs of wine per year. Those gardens had to be fertilized and watered, therefore it was important to produce as many liters as possible, a larger amount from fewer plants. Now we have a completely different idea of what quality wines are. And I have made very good wines from Listán Negro, but from a vine that produces 4,000 kilograms per hectare, not the 15,000 that was once the norm. At that rate, it’s just water.

■ Bodegas Marba Carretera TF-154 El Portezuelo-Las Toscas 253, 38280 Tegueste (Tenerife), Islas Canarias (España) Phone number: (34) 639 065 015 Email: marba@bodegasmarba.es Home page: bodegasmarba.com/ ● Capacity: 42,000 liters. ● Average production: 50,000 bottles/year. ● Exportation: Germany. ♠ Visits by appointment. ♣ There is a shop (10am to 1pm from Monday to Saturday).