Michael Candelario
Fourth-generation grower in Puntagorda, La Palma. The first in the family to bottle under his own surname.
Michael Candelario was born in 2000 into a family that has farmed vines in Puntagorda, in the north-west of La Palma, for four generations. Until he came along, the grapes were sold to other wineries on the island. He studied viticulture and winemaking at the agricultural school in Tacoronte, did stints in cellars on Tenerife, and in 2023 released his first vintage with his own name on the label.
He works a handful of hectares of terraced plots ranging from 800 to 1,450 metres, with vines from 6 to over 100 years old, some planted by his great-grandfather, and an approach that puts the surroundings first. He makes two wines: a white from Listán Blanco, Albillo Criollo and Vijariego Blanco, and a red from Negramoll, Listán Prieto and Listán Negro. Small runs, and he already sells in several countries.
