Bottling Registry No. 6, the Martel Brothers & the First Natural Wine of Gran Canaria
In Las Vegas de Valsequillo, on the eastern slopes of Gran Canaria, Bodegas Mogarén — Bottling Registry No. 6, one of the island's most historic wineries — was reborn in 2021 when Mario Reyes and Juan de La Caraba took the keys from the Martel brothers and decided to make something the island had never seen: a natural wine, made only with hands, feet, and love.
Origin — The Martel Brothers, Bottling Registry No. 6 & the Handover of 2021
Bodegas Mogarén is not a new winery. It is an old winery making a new kind of wine. Founded in 1985 by Segundo and Miguel Martel — brothers who understood the value of Gran Canaria's volcanic soils and indigenous varieties — the bodega quickly established itself as one of the island's most respected producers. The Martels were not innovators in the modern sense. They were guardians — men who knew that the vines of Valsequillo, planted on volcanic soils in the rain shadow of the island's central massif, had something to say that could not be heard anywhere else in Spain. They held Bottling Registry No. 6 — one of the earliest official registrations on the island, a number that carries the weight of history and the authority of precedence.
For decades, the Martel brothers made good, honest wines — wines that expressed the character of Listán Negro, Baboso Negro, and Listán Blanco from their own vineyards in Las Vegas de Valsequillo. They were not famous outside Gran Canaria. They did not need to be. Their market was the island itself — the restaurants of Las Palmas, the guachinches of the interior, the families who had been drinking Canarian wine since before tourism arrived. The Martels farmed their vines, made their wine, and sold it to people who understood that Gran Canaria was not merely a beach destination but a wine island with a history stretching back to the 15th century.
But by the late 2010s, the brothers were ready to step back. And in early 2021, two men arrived who would change the direction of the bodega without changing its soul. Mario Reyes Rodríguez — a sommelier, wine merchant, and founder of the Enoteca El Zarcillo — and Juan Rodríguez López — known to everyone in Valsequillo as "Juan de La Caraba" — took charge of the project. Mario brought the palate, the network, and the vision. Juan brought the land, the hands, and the local knowledge. Together, they did not buy a winery. They inherited one — with all its history, its registry number, its old vines, and its reputation.
And then they did something that no one on Gran Canaria had done before: they made a natural wine. Not a wine with fewer sulphites. Not an organic wine with a certificate. A wine made with nothing but grapes, hands, feet, and love — fermented with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, untouched by chemistry or correction. It was a risk. It was a statement. And it was, as the local wine press confirmed, the first natural wine ever produced on the island of Gran Canaria.
The Place — Gran Canaria, the Continent in Miniature & Four Plots of Volcanic Truth
Gran Canaria is known as "El Continente en Miniatura" — the continent in miniature — an island of extraordinary diversity where tropical forests, desert ravines, alpine peaks, and volcanic vineyards coexist within a few hours' drive. The DO Gran Canaria (since 2005, unifying the former DOs of Gran Canaria and Monte Lentiscal) covers the entire island, and viticulture is spread across nearly every municipality — from the basaltic slopes of Monte Lentiscal near the Caldera de Bandama to the high-altitude terraces of Tejeda, the second-highest wine-growing region in Spain. The soils are volcanic — basalt, pumice, and ash — and the climate is moderated by the Atlantic trade winds that bring cool moisture to the northern and eastern slopes.
Las Vegas de Valsequillo — The Home Plot
The main estate of Bodegas Mogarén sits in Las Vegas de Valsequillo, a small valley on the eastern side of Gran Canaria, where the volcanic soils are rich in minerals and the altitude provides a crucial moderating effect on the island's subtropical heat. The vineyard covers approximately two hectares of free-standing, ungrafted vines — the phylloxera louse never reached the Canary Islands, so these vines grow on their own roots, just as they have since Spanish colonists first planted them in the 15th century. The varieties are Listán Negro, Baboso Negro, Listán Blanco, and small quantities of other indigenous grapes — a field blend that reflects the traditional Canarian practice of co-planting multiple varieties in the same parcel. The vines range from 20 years old to centenarian — some Listán Negro plants have been producing fruit for more than a hundred years.
Three More Plots — Valsequillo & Utiaca
Beyond the home vineyard, Mogarén works three additional plots with a similar varietal composition: two more in the town of Valsequillo and one in the Utiaca area of San Mateo. These parcels extend the estate's reach across different microclimates and soil types within the same volcanic framework — from the sheltered valleys of Valsequillo to the more exposed slopes of Utiaca. The vines are trained mostly on trellises and espaliers — systems that allow for air circulation and sun exposure while maintaining the structural integrity of the old plants. All work is done by hand: pruning, canopy management, harvesting, and transport. There is no mechanization. There are no shortcuts. The terrain does not permit them, and the philosophy does not allow them.
Chemical-Free, Observation-Driven Farming
Since taking over in 2021, Mario and Juan's main commitment has been the greatest respect for the natural environment — eliminating any synthetic chemical product and doing a great deal of observation and manual work. The goal is twofold: to extract the maximum authenticity from the terroir, and to recover the vineyard to begin doing it "by hand" — returning to the practices that the Martel brothers established but pushing them further, into the realm of natural viticulture. The farming is not certified organic, but it is de facto chemical-free — no herbicides, no pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers. The health of the vineyard is managed through observation, manual intervention, and the accumulated wisdom of decades of farming the same soil.
The Grapes — Gran Canaria's Indigenous Arsenal
The estate is planted to a diverse array of indigenous varieties: Listán Negro — the island's signature red, pale and aromatic; Baboso Negro — a darker, more structured red with excellent acidity; Listán Blanco — the white twin of Listán Negro, fresh and mineral; and small quantities of other local varieties that have survived in mixed plantings. Many of these vines are ungrafted and centenarian — direct descendants of the first European vines brought to the Canaries, preserved in isolation for 500 years. The volcanic soils of Gran Canaria, like those of Tenerife and the other islands, escaped the phylloxera devastation that destroyed European viticulture in the late 19th century. Less than 1% of the world's vineyards remain ungrafted. Mogarén is part of that fraction.
Winemaking — Hands, Feet, Love & the 500-Litre Barrel on Its Fourth Life
The philosophy of Bodegas Mogarén, as articulated by Mario and Juan, is disarmingly direct: "A free, spontaneous, alive, naked wine... A wine without intervention or more help than our hands, our feet and our love." This is not a slogan. It is a method. A practice. A way of working that governs every decision in the vineyard and the cellar. The wine is 100% grape — an artisan product, without makeup, that intends to show only the pure soul of a strain, turned into fruit and then naturally turned into wine.
The 2021 vintage — the first natural wine of Gran Canaria — was born under difficult conditions. The weeks before harvest brought harsh climate extremes: the risk of disease, reduced production due to extreme drought, and a heat wave that forced an early start to picking. It was, as Mario described it, "an exciting moment and at the same time a lot of tension" — a moment where they had to decide what to do and how to do it, without a template, without a recipe, without the certainty that the experiment would succeed. They decided, without hesitation and without fear, to make a natural wine. Although, as they acknowledged, "this word is sometimes scary."
The winemaking was as simple as the philosophy demanded. The grapes were placed — in part as whole bunches — in a steel tank for a week of maceration and spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Then they were pressed and returned to steel to finish fermentation. No filtering. No clarifying. No additions. Once fermentation was complete, 50% of the wine was transferred to a 500-litre French oak barrel — a fourth-use barrel from the Magreñan cooperage, so old that it had long since stopped imparting oak flavor and had become, in Claudio's terms, "un recipiente vivo" — a living vessel. The wine aged there for two months before being blended back with the steel-aged portion. The resulting wine rested until bottling in November 2021, on Flor day — a date chosen with intention, a nod to the wine's living, evolving nature.
Everything in this wine was taken care of by hand. It received all the affection of a group of people who dreamed with Mario and Juan — supporters, friends, and collaborators who believed that Gran Canaria could produce a wine that was not merely good but true. The winemakers were careful not to claim it was the best wine in the world. But they were, as Mario wrote, "very proud of our courage and the result obtained." Courage, in this case, meant doing something that had never been done on the island — and doing it without the safety net of sulphur, selected yeasts, or industrial correction.
Since 2021, the approach has remained consistent: spontaneous fermentation, indigenous yeasts only, minimal or zero sulphites, no filtering, no clarifying, no chemical additions. The wines are made differently each year according to the conditions of the vintage — there is no fixed recipe, no standardized process, no attempt to make the wine taste the same regardless of what the year has given. Each vintage is listened to. Each vintage is answered. And each vintage is, by definition, different from the one before.
The Wines — From the First Natural Wine of Gran Canaria to the Ancestral Cuvées of Valsequillo
Bodegas Mogarén produces a small, focused range of natural wines — all made with indigenous yeasts, minimal or zero sulphites, no filtering, and no clarifying. The range is vintage-variable and extremely limited — a consequence of working with old, ungrafted vines on difficult volcanic terrain, with yields that fluctuate according to the whims of the Atlantic climate. The wines are made differently each year, responding to the conditions of the harvest rather than to a fixed recipe. But the core commitment remains: to show the pure soul of the strain, turned into fruit, turned into wine.
Bodegas Mogarén "Mogarén" Natural
Red — Las Vegas de Valsequillo, Gran CanariaThe first natural wine ever produced on the island of Gran Canaria — a historic cuvée that marked a turning point for the island's wine culture. Made primarily from Listán Negro with contributions from Baboso Negro and other indigenous varieties from the estate's ungrafted, free-standing vines. The grapes were placed — in part as whole bunches — in a steel tank for a week of spontaneous maceration and fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Pressed and returned to steel to finish. No filtering, no clarifying, no additions. Then, 50% was aged in a 500-litre French oak barrel (fourth use) for two months before blending. Bottled on Flor day, November 2021. The result is a wine of remarkable honesty and volcanic character — red cherry, wild herbs, smoky basalt, and a saline finish that speaks of the Atlantic trade winds. Light-bodied, alive, and constantly evolving. ~12% ABV. Extremely limited.
Bodegas Mogarén "Vino Ancestral"
Red / Ancestral Method — Valsequillo, Gran CanariaFollowing the success of the 2021 natural wine, Mogarén has expanded into ancestral-method wines — wines made with the same zero-intervention philosophy but exploring different techniques and vessels. These cuvées are described by Juan de La Caraba as "pura artesanía y naturaleza, sin maquillajes" — pure craftsmanship and nature, without makeup. Made from the estate's indigenous varieties — likely Listán Negro and/or Baboso Negro — with spontaneous fermentation, no sulphites, and ageing in a mix of steel and old oak. The exact composition and technique shift with the vintage, as do the vessels and the maceration times. The common thread is not a recipe. It is a philosophy: to let the vineyard speak without a filter. ~12% ABV. Extremely limited.
Bodegas Mogarén Blanco Natural
White — Valsequillo / Utiaca, Gran CanariaA white wine from indigenous varieties — primarily Listán Blanco with possible contributions from other local white grapes such as Malvasía, Albillo Criollo, or Gual, depending on the vintage and the parcel. Sourced from the estate's four plots across Valsequillo and Utiaca, farmed without synthetic chemicals and harvested by hand. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, aged in steel or old oak, and bottled without filtration, clarification, or sulphite addition. The result is a wine of Atlantic freshness and volcanic minerality — citrus, green apple, white flowers, and a smoky, saline undertow that speaks of the island's volcanic heart. A white wine that proves Gran Canaria is not merely a red-wine island. ~11.5–12% ABV. Extremely limited.
Bodegas Mogarén Rosado Natural
Rosé — Valsequillo, Gran CanariaA natural rosé made from the estate's red varieties — likely Listán Negro and/or Baboso Negro — with a brief maceration on the skins to extract just enough color and texture to give the wine structure without weight. Made with the same zero-intervention philosophy: spontaneous fermentation, no sulphites, no filtering, no clarifying. The result is a rosé of volcanic honesty — pale salmon in color, with aromas of wild strawberry, pomegranate, and Mediterranean herbs, and a palate that is fresh, saline, and unmistakably Canarian. Not the anonymous pink wine of the supermarket, but a wine with grip, texture, and a sense of place — Valsequillo in a glass. ~11.5% ABV. Limited production.
Bodegas Mogarén Experimental / Limited Releases
Variable — Gran CanariaGiven the small scale of production and the vintage-responsive philosophy of Mario and Juan, Mogarén's output includes experimental and limited cuvées that shift from year to year. These may include extended skin-contact whites (orange wines) from Listán Blanco, carbonic maceration reds from Listán Negro, single-parcel bottlings from the Utiaca plot, or co-ferments of red and white varieties — a deeply rooted Canary Islands tradition. The common thread is not technique. It is intention: to work without a recipe, to listen to the vineyard, and to accept that some experiments will fail while others will reveal something new about the volcanic soils of Gran Canaria. These wines are shared primarily with the small community of natural wine specialists who understand that Mogarén is not a brand but a conversation.
Legacy — Bottling Registry No. 6, the Courage to Begin & the Nature of Gran Canaria
Bodegas Mogarén matters because it represents the courage to begin — the first natural wine ever made on Gran Canaria, produced by two men who inherited a historic winery and decided that the most honest way to honor its legacy was to change everything about how the wine was made. In a wine culture that had long been dominated by conventional practices, sulphur, and standardization, Mario Reyes and Juan de La Caraba proved that Gran Canaria's volcanic soils, ungrafted vines, and indigenous varieties could produce a wine that was not merely good but true — a wine made only with hands, feet, and love.
Their legacy is agricultural. By working ~2 hectares of ungrafted vines — some centenarian — across four plots in Valsequillo and Utiaca, by eliminating all synthetic chemicals, by harvesting everything by hand, and by recovering the vineyard to do it "by hand" in the old way, they have created a model for Gran Canarian viticulture that is closer to artisanal tradition than to industrial modernity. They have shown that the island's volcanic soils, Atlantic winds, and indigenous varieties — Listán Negro, Baboso Negro, Listán Blanco — are not merely historical curiosities but living resources capable of producing wines of extraordinary purity and place.
Their legacy is oenological. The Mogarén 2021 — the first natural wine of Gran Canaria — was made with whole grapes in steel, partial ageing in a 500L fourth-use French oak barrel, and bottling on Flor day without filtering, clarifying, or sulphite addition. It is a wine that almost no one else on the island makes, because almost no one else has attempted it. The result is a wine of remarkable honesty — light-bodied, volcanic, alive, and constantly evolving. And the ancestral cuvées that have followed — made with the same zero-intervention philosophy, the same indigenous yeasts, the same refusal to standardize — have established a new category of Canarian wine: not organic, not biodynamic, but natural in the truest sense of the word.
And their legacy is philosophical. "A free, spontaneous, alive, naked wine... A wine without intervention or more help than our hands, our feet and our love." This is not a marketing slogan. It is a position of vulnerability — an acceptance that wine made without sulphur, without selected yeasts, without filtration, is a wine that can fail. That some vintages will be reduced. That some experiments will become vinegar. That the only guarantee is honesty. Mario and Juan do not promise perfection. They promise truth. And in a wine world saturated with polished, standardized products, that promise is revolutionary.
From the Martel brothers' good, honest wines of the 1980s and 1990s, to the handover of 2021, to the first natural wine of Gran Canaria bottled on Flor day, to the ancestral cuvées that continue to push the boundaries of what Valsequillo's volcanic soils can express, Bodegas Mogarén is a testament to what happens when two men decide that the best way to honor a historic winery is not to preserve it in amber but to set it free — to let the vines, the yeasts, and the volcanic earth speak without a filter, without makeup, without fear. Bottling Registry No. 6 has a new voice. And it is speaking in the language of nature.