©Vinha Maria Chaves
Cape Verde (officially Cabo Verde) is a small archipelago nation off the coast of West Africa. Originally colonized by settlers from Portugal in the 15th Century, it has a long history of wine production, mostly on the volcanic island of Fogo (meaning fire in Portuguese). A range of European grape varieties are cultivated there, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscat, Touriga Nacional and Tempranillo.
Vines came to the island with the Count of Montrond, a French aristocrat who had been exiled and was on his way to Brazil. He settled on Fogo in the shadow of the volcano, planting his vines and making a style of sweet red wine which became known as Manecom. Since then, winegrowing has been a viable option for small farmers who contribute their grapes to the local wine co-operative. The islands lie about 400 miles (650km) west of Senegal, and a whole 800 miles (1300km) south of the Canary Islands.
Fogo is home to Cape Verde's tiny wine industry, as well as an active volcano. The vineyards are situated on the black, volcanic soil in the caldera itself. This soil is fertile and rich in minerals, which helps the bush vines grow healthily, producing good grapes for wine production.
Altitude is another key aspect of the region's terroir. Cape Verde is much closer to the equator than most of the world's key wine regions at 14°N – for context Sicily, another warm, volcanic wine region, lies at 37°N. Altitudes reaching some 5000ft (1500m) above sea level help to temper the warmth usually associated with this kind of latitude. Cooler nights help to slow ripening, although sunlight absorbed by the black soils during the day keeps the vines insulated overnight.
Unfortunately, the positive aspects of growing wine on an active volcano do not always outweigh the negative. Fogo has erupted several times in the last century, the most recent eruption coming in late 2014. Devastating lava flows have destroyed some vineyards on the island, but stored wine and equipment from the local wine co-operative was saved.
