The fearless #Worldwinetravel group is writing about a grape called the Mission grape today. That is in the USA, in Chile where it has had a resurgence it is called Pais, and in Argentina, Criolla Chica. It’s also grown in Spain where it is known as Listan Prieto also called Liatan Negro. Our host Camilla, wrote this great post about the topics we are covering. I joined late so was not in time to find a wine made with the Mission grape in the USA before today but what I was able to do was dig into my memories and the history of the grape. My first wine trip, or first official winery visit was in 1986 in California when I visited the Mondavi winery with my Mom. On that same trip we visited San Diego and the San Juan di Capistrano Mission. I remember we loved the experience and spoke about the Swallows returning to the mission. The Mondavi visit was just at the beginning of a lifetime of wine wonderings and honestly visits to churches and historical places linked to the spread of Christianity and their impact on wine in the old and the new world.

Listán Prieto which is thought to be the origin grape that was brought by the missionaries from Spain is a red grape, from the Castilla – La Mancha region of Spain. The grape came to the new world as part of the Age of Discovery when explorers and then missionaries colonized the lands that they arrived in. We know some but not all of the awful things that went on as well and while not glossing over any of that, I am focused on the grapes and their travels on this blog. The Spanish came to Mexico in the 16th century and brought vines with them, making Mexico the oldest wine producing country in the Americas. I wrote about Mexican wines here a while back too.

From Mexico, the grape traveled to New Mexico and by the 17th century was widely grown in this beautiful state. Mission is a very hardy and drought resistant grape so it does well in this hot climate. Here is an article I wrote about wines from New Mexico, a state I love for its beauty and honestly for its spirituality.

Mission then made its way to California, brought by the Franciscan friars to San Diego and then to Los Angeles. Mission has been making a comeback and apparently it a favorite of some wine makers who are embracing its history in California and the fact that it doesn’t need too much intervention. Mission does not have a lot of acidity but does have a lot of sugar and in the past was often made into a sweet wine, which of course was needed for the ceremonies that the friars held. Today, some are even making Mission into a rosé wine while others are making it into drier styles that consumers prefer. Mission in California is also seen as a piece of the state’s history as a winemaking center.

I have had few wines made from Mission but I have had amazing Pais from Chile. As with any grape, much depends on the winemaker but even more on the terroir.

What I have had though, is wine from Listan Prieto aka Listan Negro from the Canary Islands in Spain.

This wine is from Bodegas Vinatigo on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. It is made 100% from the indigenous grape called Listan Negro. It was a fruit forward young wine reminiscent of a good Beaujolais or a Groppello from Lake Garda. It grows on volcanic soil and there is a brightness both to the color and the aromas that I find in wines that come from grapes grown on volcanic soils. This would be a perfect wine to sip at a picnic with some charcuterie and cheese, have with a hamburger or hot dog on the grill, or with a Tortilla Espanola, so perfect for this Memorial Day weekend!

The winery is run by Juan Jesús Méndez who took the reins in 1990. They make wines using gravity flow and are responsible for saving many grapes from extinction. The Canary Islands was the launch pad for many expeditions to the Americas in the era of Spanish and Portuguese exploration. This location as a crossroads has led to the area being rich in diverse grape vines from around Europe. Bodegas Vinatigo has many vines that are over 100 years old and that are grown on their own rootstocks because phylloxera did not devastate the island. I loved this wine and was very excited to think about a future trip to this island. I purchased it as Astor Wines in NYC and it is importer by David Bowler.

I will be seeking out other bottles of Listan Prieto, Pais, Criolla Chica, and Mission and I hope you will too. Check out these posts by my fellow #WorldWineTravelers.

• A Chilean Seafood Soup and a Migrated Vine: Paila Marina + the 2019 Roberto Henriquez Tierra de Pumas by Culinary Cam
• Californio Enchiladas with a Chilean Chardonnay by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• To Taste Tradition, Try Morande’s Organic Cinsault-Pais Blend Paired with Chilean Chimichurri Filet Mignon by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley
• Wine Origins, the Mission Grape in the USA by Avvinare