March has been quite unsettled and a month of many days of some much-needed rain, although a little later than hoped. It is always a tale of two halves taking guests on our tours, who are naturally disappointed with rain on holiday, while at the same time seeing the absolutely delighted farmers in the vineyards!  Water really is a necessity on Lanzarote. The vines are not watered by manual irrigation only nature, and after many dry years, rain is desperately needed to boost yields to more normalised levels. Many bodegas have advised that the stock of wine is running extremely low, with very limited references available.

In last month’s blog, we briefly covered the growth of the grapevine. Today, we will have a more in depth look. After the winter months of pruning, and the vines passing through the dormancy stage, we soon, start to see new growth.  During March we have seen the vineyards burst into life.  This first stage is known as bud burst.  Depending on which area of the island you are, the variety, and the time of the final pruning, the timing of bud burst can have a difference of nearly a month. Woken by natural cycles like days lengthening and warmer temperatures, the vines use their stored energy from the winter months (carbohydrates) to push out the first new green growth of the year.  Once the first leaves are open, they have one main goal. Photosynthesis, the process that generates new energy for the plants’ yearly cycle.  

All these stages are very important in growth and depend a lot on natural cycles. Smaller buds can be damaged by harsh environments like strong winds or frost. Luckily, frost isn’t a problem in Lanzarote, but wind is. This is the reason Lanzarote’s vines are protected by small hand built stone walls.

Every vineyard is also subject to the consequences of constant climate change. Here in Lanzarote, our biggest concern is the amount of rainfall each winter. Our rainfall can differ from year to year, affecting the growth of the vine and its yield. It is important that the vines not only get enough rain, but that they also get it with the right timing and cool temperatures, so they can rest. 

Our next stop for the grapevine is its flowering stage which we will investigate in more detail next month.

As a little side story, we have been closely following an interesting project that Bodega El Grifo have been working on. Recently, due to climate change, El Grifo´s winemakers, Jorge Rodríguez, Lorena Díaz, and the advisor Xabier Kamio, have been experimenting on a plot of land near the south of the island, in Playa Quemada. This land is close to sea level, keeping winter temperatures mild and stable, therefore giving a promising growth of grapes… but in the winter months!  Steady progress reports show that throughout December and following months, their grape cultivation has been looking very promising.  Harvest is due for the end of March/beginning of April and we hope to report back soon.  Locals on Lanzarote have always been resilient and adaptive, creating a bright future for Lanzarote wine!

Here at the Wine Shop, we like to keep up with the seasons!  That’s why this month, to give spring a fresh new welcome, we’ve chosen Vulcano’s Malvasía Volcánica dry white wine as our go-to wine this month! 

It’s a delicious young (vegan) wine made from hand harvested Malvasía Volcánica grapes. Fermentation is completed in stainless steel tanks, making sure the wine is kept just as fresh as it should be, while maintaining Malvasia’s characteristic flavours and aromas. 

It’s a brilliant pale-yellow colour, with floral and fruit aromas.  Fresh and vibrant on the palate, with balanced acidity and a persistent fruit and mineral finish.  This wine is best appreciated with fresh white fish, seafood or soft cheeses.

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!