This is the first in our series of monthly blogs to account for a year in the life of the unique volcanic vineyards of Lanzarote.  We’ll give you a glimpse into the life of both the farmer, and also what is going on behind the scenes at the wineries.

May is an amazing time to be in the vineyards, the colour contrasts are spectacular.  The vines on the Island are the first vines in Europe to begin their season thanks to our warm climate, so they already are showing plenty of lush growth and greenery, which contrasts with the black volcanic ash (rofe), the white buildings and blue skies.  However, the blue skies have been few and far between in the past couple of weeks and humidity has been high, which keeps the farmer on his toes.  Humidity, causes a disease called powdery mildew and is one of the biggest threats to the vineyards on Lanzarote.  Luckily it can be kept under control by applying sulphur to the vines, but it is by no mean feat. 

Photo - Monso Perez

In the wine region of La Geria, you currently will see the local viticulturists applying sulphur to the vines to help fight mildew. Sulphur is one of earths elements and is commonly used in vineyards to help prevent and control powdery mildew forming.  It is applied as either a green powder or in liquid form.  Luckily, sulphur in its elemental form is non-toxic and is permitted in organic farming.  We caught up with local artisan winemaker and viticulturist Alfredo Perez from Vega Volcan, and he explained that he had been out in the vineyards applying sulphur to his vines more often than usual this year, because of the humidity in the evenings.  We wrote a more detailed blog about the difference between sulphur and sulphites in wine too and you can read this here.

The good news is, thanks to the plentiful rainfall this year, the vines seem to be showing plenty of young grapes. It is of course too early to give an idea of quantities, but the sight will be welcome after the past three dry winters.

We will also tie in the monthly vineyard update with a wine of the month suggestion!

This month we have selected Bodega Los Bermejos Malvasia Volcánica Brut Nature. There is always a reason to drink sparkling wine, and right now there seems to be more reasons than ever! It’s our first monthly blog from the vineyards of course, but then summer is on our doorstep, restrictions are loosening and hopefully this will mean holidays for many, will be in the not-too-distant future!

Bermejo´s sparkling wine is produced using the traditional method, the high-quality method used to produce Champagne. It is aged at least twenty months on the lees (the dead yeast cells) in the bottle. Being a Brut Nature, there’s no additional sweetness. It’s a super sparkling, very aromatic and fresh with a combination of citrus, fennel and biscuity notes. It’s great for an aperitif with friends or with a selection of light cheeses. It is one we stock in Wine Shop Lanzarote and is available for purchase in the UK & Ireland here

Well, that wraps it up from us here. To learn more you can join us for a Wine and Vineyard Walk Tour, you can reserve your place here.

We hope to see you soon!

All the best
Dan