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If, when you think about the Spanish islands, your mind conjures up images of busy Mallorcan and Lanzarote resorts, it’s time to rethink. Let me introduce you to another side of these popular destinations, a side of rural idylls where you can sample locally grown wines in beautiful remote locations. In recent years the wines of Spain’s popular islands of Lanzarote and Mallorca have begun to make ripples amongst the world’s leading oenophiles – although admittedly the ripples are small ones as befits the size of the islands they come from. But while the world may be catching up, for me these wines are precious precisely because of their local nature. In my opinion that means the best place to try them is a few kilometres from where they were made. A Wine-Tasting Holiday to Mallorca For centuries you would be hard pushed to find Mallorcan wines outside of Mallorca, and that’s not just because vine-growing and wine production on the island are limited. The truth is that the Mallorcan’s like their own wine so much that they are happy to consume most of what they create themselves. So while Mallorcan wine is a well-kept secret, I discovered the joy of sampling the delicious white Nounat – a blend of Chardonnay and the local Prensal Blanc grape – while sitting on a terrace overlooking the Bodegas Binigrau where the grapes were grown. I’ve since been back countless times to travel around the regions of Binissalem and Pla i Llevant, where most of the wine on the island is made, and each time I’ve made a new discovery and found a new favourite vintage. To attempt to replicate that wonderful experience, we have added the luxurious Es Moli hotel to our collection. Set in the unspoilt, rural countryside of Mallorca, with a beautiful terraced garden and excellent restaurant, it makes the perfect base from which to discover the wines and vineyards of the island. An Oenophile Adventure in Lanzarote The first thing you’ll notice, once you get away from the Lanzarote resorts around the coast, is the strange stone piles you see littering the countryside. What you may not at first realise, is that you’ve stumbled upon the island’s vine-growing region. The stone piles are one of the ways the viniculturists here have devised to overcome the difficult terrain and produce some seriously good wines. Having to contend with volcanic soil and strong winds, the wine-makers have found an ingenious way of battling the environment, by digging their vines into dugouts and surrounding them with stone windbreaks. One of the best places to see this, and then to taste the excellent result, are the estates of La Geria. The area responsible for most of the wine produced on the island, La Geria is an ideal place for would-be wine connoisseurs to visit. For those looking to become more familiar with the wines of this region, we offer the perfect holiday option of a stay at the boutique hotel, La Casona de Yaiza. With just 10 elegantly designed bedrooms and a tranquil, rural atmosphere, the hotel provides a luxurious base from which to explore the local bodegas. Book Now So for your next holiday, avoid the hustle and bustle of the Mallorcan and Lanzarote resorts and instead let us arrange a grown-up oenophile experience, so you can discover a different side to these beautiful islands. Author Plate John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years, he has been providing accommodation in luxury Lanzarote resorts as well as Sicily, The Canaries, Bermuda and many other destinations around the globe. John tries to visit each of the destinations regularly in order to ensure the quality of his properties, and stay up-to-date about the latest local news and events. He has a taste for the finer things in life and has an interest in arts, history and culture.
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