The Fuencaliente Grape Harvest Festival, La Palma, pays tribute to the iconic local wine, celebrated since the 19th century in August in the neighborhood of Los Canarios, at the southernmost end of the island of La Palma.
Exquisite Wines of La Palma: Designation of Origin, varieties, and unique characteristics on a volcanic island
La Palma, recognized as a wine region with Designation of Origin since 1994, hosts vineyards at altitudes ranging from 200 to 1,200 meters above sea level on volcanic soils.
The island is divided into three wine regions: Fuencaliente-Las Manchas in the south and west, Hoyo del Mazo-Las Breñas in the east, and North Zone-Tea Wines in the north. The iconic Tea Wine comes from this last area and has an alcoholic strength of 15 to 22%. Moreover, this wine from La Palma is characterized by its aging in Canary pine barrels for up to six months.
Predominantly, the wines from La Palma are white, with MalvasÃa La Palma, Gual, and Verdello standing out. MalvasÃa, considered one of La Palma’s best white wines, is mainly grown in Fuencaliente and Villa de Mazo. The grapes mature on the vine to increase their sugar content and the alcoholic strength of the final product. These wines from La Palma are amber-colored, noble, and highly aromatic.
TeneguÃa Wineries, La Palma
Located in Fuencaliente, the TeneguÃa Wineries boast over six decades of history and are among the most awarded Canary wineries. This cooperative, composed of more than 280 passionate members dedicated to tradition, continues to produce excellent wines on the rich and ferruginous volcanic soils of the island’s south.
During the Fuencaliente Grape Harvest Festival, you can also taste these outstanding wines, and throughout the year, the TeneguÃa wineries offer guided tours with wine tasting included.
Fuencaliente Grape Harvest Festival: a fun-filled program in honor of La Palma wine
This traditional event features a wide range of cultural and sports activities for locals and tourists alike. Highlights include the spectacular arrival of the Harvest Floats, laden with typical products and exquisite wines, the lively Dance of the Fuscos Horses of Fuencaliente, and ultimately the Dance of the Old Maids. Of course, the nightly parties are a must in this vibrant celebration.
Fuscos Horses of Fuencaliente
The ancestral tradition of the Fuscos Horses, native to the Los Quemados neighborhood in Fuencaliente de La Palma, has been kept alive for over a century thanks to its inhabitants. This cultural spectacle, celebrated on the last Sunday of August in even-numbered years, entertains the audience with the peculiar dance of cardboard and colorful paper horses, handled by men to the rhythm of the Polka. These vibrant and colorful figures burst into the festivity, filling spectators with joy with their neighing.
Curiosity: At the roundabout on highway LP 209 that leads down to Las Indias, there is an artistic iron sculpture dedicated to the fufos horses.
