Welcome back to another addition of a year in the unique vineyards of Lanzarote!
Since the change of daylight-saving time late last month our cooler evenings are sweeping in, yet our daytime temperature still averages between 15 - 20°C throughout the winter, though the nights are somewhat cooler.
With the shift of temperature during the winter months this activates a change in the grapevine. The first signs you will notice is a change in the colour of the leaves and leaf fall, while vine shoots will turn into woody canes and give the false impression of lifelessness. During this period the vine starts to store carbohydrate reserves in the trunk, arms and roots. These reserves will be vital in nourishing next seasons growth until the leaves regrow and provide the plant with carbohydrates through the process of Photosynthesis.
From the end of October, you can often find the viticulture teams out in the vineyards beginning the pruning process for the vines. The pruning season is often done in stages, depending on the vineyard and its resources, and will go on through until February where the final stage results in all canes been taken back to the trunk ahead of the new growth season. Another job at pruning time is collecting dead leaves from the vines and from fruit trees, then applying them directly on top of the vine and as these decompose, they become a great source of fertilizer while also helping to retain moisture. They can also be buried into the ash too.
Alfredo from Vega Volcan burying dead leaves under the volcanic ash
Not to miss is the dramatic sight of patches of white smoke billowing out from the black landscape, fortunately this is no volcanic eruption, only the smouldering fires of burning dead canes and cuttings from the past year. As the vineyards are so inhospitable for machinery in La Geria, traditionally the pruning is burnt where it is collected saving a huge amount of manual labour. Often, these carbon ash piles are added to compost piles to be added back into the soil as natural fertilizers.
Wine of the month
This month we have decided that with Christmas fast approaching to select a sweet dessert wine! It is ideal for Christmas dinner and a vegan one at that with Bodega Vulcano being a vegan certified winery! If you haven’t experienced a sweet wine then there is no better time, it is a great combination with Christmas desserts and with time on your hands and family around, it’s a great time to share!
We have chosen Bodega Vulcano’s delicious Dolce. This is a sweet naturally fermented wine made with Moscatel grapes. Once the grapes have been collected, they are dried in the sun to increase their sugar concentration through partial dehydration. Fermentation is also interrupted to leave residual natural sugars at 180g per litre before it is aged for 12 months in French oak.
You will find notes of figs, lychee, hazelnut and honey with a soft and smooth palate. It has a nice rich texture and a great length to the finish.
All of the wines at Bodega Vulcano are officially certified as Vegan, due to their process of clarification and filtration.
As always, this wine is available to buy in the UK and Ireland through our online store Wine Shop Lanzarote where the stock is based in the UK!
Thanks for reading!
