A Morning with Wine Tours Lanzarote

I first visited Lanzarote's vineyards with Wine Tours Lanzarote in December 2017, during their first year of trading. My previous experience of Lanzarote wine had not been great but, on that first trip around Bodegas Rubicon, El Tablero (sadly no longer making wine), and El Grifo, I discovered that there was more to the island's wine than I had been led to believe.

Just over 6 years later I booked my fourth tour with Wine Tours Lanzarote, having been on another wine tour and a beer tour in the intervening years.

Our guide for the morning, Dan, picked me up on time from my accommodation in one of their air-conditioned mini-vans. The tour was fully booked so we spent a little time collecting all 8 passengers before heading to Bodegas Los Bermejos.

It was very peaceful when we arrived and the door to the winery was open, so we were able to see the presses and fermentation tanks before heading into the vineyard. Once there, Dan told us about the five main grape varieties grown on the island (whites: Malvasía Volcanica, Listan Blanco, Diego, and Moscatel de Alejandria, and red: Listan Negro). As phylloxera never arrived on Lanzarote, these are all ungrafted vines.

At Bodegas Los Bermejos, Dan explained why the vines are grown in rows, sheltered by long walls. Pruning is currently taking place and we could see smoke from where the discarded canes were being burnt. We then went back to the terrace where a table was set for our first tasting of the day.

Dan talked us through the aromas and flavours we would find in the wines, but also made it clear that we might find others as everyone's taste is different. First up was a Malvasía Volcanica seco, bursting with green apple, citrus, a hint of tropical fruit, and minerality from the soil. Next was a Listan Negro rosado, a lovely rosé wine full of strawberry and cranberry flavours.

Finally we were given the opportunity to purchase wines, with no pressure to do so. As we left, Dan mentioned that, although our next stop was to be the Bodega Vulcano de Lanzarote winery in Tías, they also had vineyards nearby.

On parking up, we learnt that the owners of the winery owned the buildings on both sides of the street and that the main winery was below ground. They have a shop which is open to the public and also has a tasting area. This time we were given a choice of wines to taste. Dan suggested their new Listan Negro Blanc de Noirs (white wine from black grapes) which had never been tasted before on a tour and we all agreed would be interesting. The consensus for the second wine was a barrel fermented Diego.

The Blanc de Noirs was extremely pale, having been pressed from only just ripe red grapes, with strong aromas of green bell peppers. On the palate the green pepper persisted, alongside citrus and a hint of white peach. We were also served some smoked goat's cheese which complemented it perfectly. In contrast, the Diego was a pale golden colour with aromas of ripe melon and blossom. On tasting, a fresh acidity balanced the creaminess from malolactic conversion, and vanilla and pastry flavours from the oak and lees stirring. After the herbaceousness of the first wine, the complexity of the second was really noticeable. I think we all bought a bottle of the Blanc de Noirs, it was definitely our favourite of the two.

Our final stop was Bodega La Geria and we headed straight for the vineyard. Being much closer to Timanfaya than Bodegas Los Bermejos, the layer of volcanic ash, known as rofe or picon, is much thicker, so farmers had to dig deep holes to find the fertile soil below. The vines are then protected from the trade winds by semicircular walls called zocos which creep up the sides of the volcanoes.

After a quick peek into the winery we started our final tasting, a white and a red wine from their Eco range. I sometimes find that organic wines can give off a slight farmyard smell and this Malvasía Volcanica was no exception. It also meant that, on the palate, it wasn't quite as clean and fresh as the example we'd tried earlier. It was still a very pleasant wine though, which, again, was served with some very tasty smoked goat's cheese.

Our last wine was their Tinto Eco, a blend of 70% Listan Negro, 25% Syrah, and 5% Tintilla. Dan explained that you would still get the varietal red to black fruit flavours from the Listan Negro, but the addition of other grape varieties would give the wine more depth, and you certainly got a hint of peppery spice from the Syrah.

At Bodega La Geria, as well as their full range of wines, you could buy local produce, including the lovely cheese we'd been served. On Dan's recommendation I bought a bottle of their Antigua Malvasía Dulce which came home with me.

All in all it was a lovely morning. The group ranged from those who actively sought out wine tourism, to those who just liked drinking wine! There was never any pressure to offer an opinion on what you were tasting, and Dan’s tasting notes helped us consider what was in the glass. We were also not rushed at any stop – there was certainly no feeling of having to keep to a timetable which is perfect when you're on holiday.

The number of wineries on the island has increased over the time that Wine Tours Lanzarote has been operating and the winemakers don't seem afraid to try new things, so you never know what interesting wine you may come across. The bodegas visited on the tours will vary depending on availability, so your tour may be completely different to mine, but if you'd like to spend time in the vineyards, tasting wine, and not worrying about driving, you should really book this tour for your next trip to Lanzarote.

Julie lives in Co. Meath, Ireland and holds WSET Level 3 certificate in wine.