9.VITICULTURE Los Realejos is regarded as the “cathedral of the white wine”, and largely recognized by the vine experts of the archipelago. This type of wine, like the one of the Orotava Valley, has enjoyed well-deserved fame throughout their history, since it was the first viticulture center in the Canaries. In the XVII and XVIII centuries these wines were exported to England and its colonies, Germany, Holland and Latin America. The vineyards were so extensive that the illustrious son of Los Realejos, Viera y Clavijo, was moved to write that the entire valley was one immense tapestry of wines. At present, this sector is growing up together with the one of gastronomy, characterized by a wide network of cooking establishment of any kind, although headed by our traditional “guachinches”, typical and pleasant sites where everybody can taste the best home-made food and the home-grown wine.
Every year, during September, the Vintage Festivity is celebrated in the town nucleus of La Cruz Santa, an event that attempts to approach the overall history of our wine-making tradition to the visitors.