Wine and volcanoes, a walk through the best wineries of Lanzarote

When you get to Lanzarote for the first time, it will surprise you.

You will get surprised by its nature, its climate, its wind and its year-round aridness. You might have arrived here drawn by the fame of its wine. However, when you see how little vegetation adorns its land, you just can’t help but wonder how is it possible that such barren land produces such fresh wines.

But the reality is quite different.

When you get a chance to travel inland, you’ll discover a paradise unlike any other, where the grapes grow in pits, protected from the wind by stone fences and irrigated with the moisture brought by the winds thanks to the volcanic ash covering them.

You will find this landscape at La Geria. The land of wine, wind and volcanoes; this is where most of the island’s wine cellars are located, as well as nearly all the vineyards.

A special feature of these crops is that everything, absolutely everything, is done manually. The volcanic ash, which is so helpful with nurturing the fruit thanks to its sponge-like moisture retention, also makes it difficult to bring in machinery. This is why this wine has such a special, almost artisan, taste to it. Made by hand, slowly but surely, drinking this wine is like finding yourself on a September afternoon when the sun is hiding on the horizon and the clouds are awash with colours.

Join us in exploring five of its best wineries and tasting their wines.

El Grifo

Without a doubt, it is the island’s most emblematic winery, since it is the oldest one on the Canary Islands and among the ten with the most history in all of Spain.

El Grifo winery was founded in 1775 when its first owner unknowingly decided to change the course of agriculture on the island by planting grapes and making wine.

Passing through the hands of several owners, the winery has never ceased its dedication to winemaking, and, with a lot of effort and preservance, it has become a leader, thanks to the research and development they carried out to discover new cultivation methods. For instance, it has recently presented its first winter harvest, which has been a success, accoring to the experts.

To visit this historical winery, go to Masdache village and follow these directions.

Once you get there, you can enjoy a guided tour of its museum or simply walk around and try to figure out which grape vines are over a centry old.

Whatever you decide, you should finish up by tasting the wine and trying the local cheese while enjoying the impressive landscape. It’s a pleasure for all the senses.

Vega de Yuco

Vega de Yuco Winery is a young company located on a XVI-century estate in the foothills of Mount Testenia.

This distinctive feature, the melding of a young spirit with the solemnity earned by years of history, creates a perfect combination for wine tourism, an experience where visitors can visit one of the oldest properties on the island and enjoy a tasting of organic wines paired with artisan sweets from Lanzarote.

Are you really going to miss it? To sample this mixture of history and taste, you should book your visit in advance here.

Routes are offered in one language only, English or Spanish. Please keep this in mind while you are booking.

Bodegas Rubicon

Another jewel of Lanzarote’s historical and artistical heritage is Bodega Rubicon.

During more than three centuries, its walls have been buried under the ashes from nearby volcanoes, and they have resurfaced towards the light with much more determination than anyone might have ever imagined.

Visiting the Bodega Rubicon is like going back in time. Walking through the spaces of this old home is a delight for the eyes. If you enhance your visit with one of the tastings offered in their shop, it would be a treat for all your senses.

This winery offers visits to the cellar and to the house, unrestricted and free of charge, without a timetable and with a relaxed vibe. If you get hungry towards the end, you can satisfy your appetite at their restaurant, which has incredible views of La Geria’s vineyards and Timanfaya National Park. You will find many wine-related products in their artisan gift shop.

All these ingredients make Bodega Rubicon a mandatory stop during your visit to Lanzarote.

Los Bermejos Winery

Even though it was founded recently Bodega Los Bermejos is located on the premises of an old estate called “Juan Bello”.

They have successfully melded tradition with modernity by complementing an antique winepress with modern equipment. This means that the grape growing and harvesting are done as always, preserving all quality of the fruit and letting it macerate naturally.

You can visit this winery on your own or with a guide. The second option is available with a prior reservation.

Bodega Guiguan

The depths of Guiguan volcano in Tinajo produce the grapes that make one of the best wines in Lanzarote.

They are grown with love and dedication, and this winery is known for treating its wine with an artisan-like approach. They preserve the traditions of family-owned wineries, mixing them with technological innovations and modernisation in order to obtain the very best from each vintage.

They call it the Art of Wine.

You just have to try it and enjoy each sip as if it were a work of art.

To get a bottle of this exclusive wine, visit the Bodega Guiguan.