Bodegas El Grifo, the oldest winery in the Canary Islands and one of the five oldest in Spain, celebrated its 250th anniversary yesterday with a solemn institutional event at the Hotel Iberostar Heritage Gran Mencey, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The event, which began at 7:30 p.m., brought together prominent personalities from the political, business and wine sectors. The event was hosted by Marian Otamendi, member of the Board of Directors of the winery, who welcomed the attendees and presented the program for the evening.
Among the institutional interventions, the words of the Hon. Ms. President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez; the Hon. Mr. Minister of Agriculture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Alejandro Narvay; and the Councilor for Economic Promotion of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Antonia Honoria Machín Barrios.
Representing the founding family was Fermín Otamendi, co-owner of El Grifo together with his brother Juan José Otamendi, who emphasized the historical relevance of the winery since its foundation in 1775 and its pioneering role in Canarian viticulture. Next, an emotional commemorative video was shown, reviewing the firm's trajectory over two and a half centuries.
One of the highlights of the night was the presentation, by the winery's oenologist Elisa Ludeña, of the special edition Malvasía Volcánica sobre Lías 250 anniversary of the 2018 vintage, with 28 months of aging on lees and 4 years of rest in the bottle, made as a tribute to the tradition and innovative spirit of El Grifo.
After the institutional event, the guests enjoyed a cocktail paired with some of the winery's most representative references, including: Brut Nature, Malvasía de Fuego, Malvasía Volcánica Finca Ramón, Vijariego sobre Lías, Ariana and a Malvasía Volcánica Dulce from 1997, in addition to the new commemorative launch.
The event, which included the participation of some of the best restaurants in Tenerife, demonstrated Bodegas El Grifo's firm commitment to "tradition, innovation and sustainability in the heart of La Geria, where it continues to write the history of Canarian wine".