The La Geria wine route

Vine-growing has a long history in the Canary Islands, since the archipelago's wine began to be produced from the 15th century onwards. With the discovery of America, wine-growing intensified to supply the fleets, but the island of Lanzarote did not have good growing conditions due to the trade winds and low rainfall...

For this reason, the farmers developed a unique cultivation technique: they discovered that black volcanic sand, called picon, combined with a low wall of volcanic stone to protect the vines from the wind, had beneficial effects on the growth of the vines. In fact, this method of cultivation has a thermoregulatory function that preserves the soil's moisture and allows the vines to grow well.

This unique technique makes it possible to apply an artisanal process, from the planting to the harvesting of the grapes, which can only be done by hand due to the difficulty of exploiting the land. It also creates strange landscapes that attract the curious on holiday in Lanzarote.

The island's three most popular wines are Moscatel (sweet wine), Malvasia (white wine) and Lanzarote red. Don't hesitate to try them, as you'll also be helping to preserve the island's rural economy.

The best-known winery is **bodega La Geria

Its wines are renowned and this is where most of the **tourist buses stop. Its owners are well aware of this and charge higher prices than other bodegas. Guided tours in English can be booked for €12 per person, and end with a tasting of the estate's wines. There is also a small restaurant where you can enjoy lunch overlooking the vineyards.

Just opposite, **the bodega Rubicón

** is less famous, but offers wines by the glass at a much more affordable price (from £2.50) and gives visitors a free tour of the cellar. It also has a restaurant, although the view is less spectacular than at Bodega La Geria.

A little further on, **bodega Stratvs

** is much more modern: its shop is very large and offers a wide variety of products, as well as wines. There is also a shady restaurant where it is very pleasant to have lunch. Across the road, the bodega Antonio Suarez is not very interesting, although its wines are of good quality.

Our favourite winery is **the bodega El Grifo

** ! Founded in 1775, it is the oldest winery in Lanzarote still in operation today. It houses a museum on the history of the El Grifo winery and wine-making, with various pieces of equipment actually used in previous centuries. The audio-guided tour costs £6. You can also walk through the vineyards to get a closer look at the small volcanic walls and how the vines grow inside them. Wine tastings are also available by prior arrangement. The El Grifo bodega logo was designed by the famous César Manrique.

📍 How do I get to the La Geria wine route?

The Lanzarote Wine Route is actually the LZ-30 road between Uga, which can be reached via the LZ-2 road, and La Florida. Uga is less than 15 minutes' drive from Puerto del Carmen, 20 minutes from Playa Blanca and Arrecife and 30 minutes from Costa Teguise.

⏰ Bodega opening times

The bodegas on the LZ-30 route are open daily from 10am and close between 6pm and 8pm.