Top 10 Lanzarote Wineries | Incredible Volcanic Vineyards To Visit

One unique experience on my trip to the Canary Islands was the day I visited wineries scattered throughout the moonscape land of Lanzarote, indulging my senses in some local wine tasting.

In this post, I’ll take a closer look at the unique viticulture behind this volcanic wine before helping you discover ten Lanzarote Vineyards that you can visit and enjoy some of the island wine for yourself, how to get there, and a few options for wine tours of the region so you too can enjoy a spot of Lanzarote wine tasting.

Of course, if you want to skip straight to the vineyards, just use the links in the contents below.

Note – Please know, some of the external links on this page are affiliate links, this means that if you purchase after following one, I make a small commission from the sale at no additional cost to yourself.

Welcome to La Geria – home to the Lanzarote wineries

The vineyards of Lanzarote are unlike anything I have ever experienced before. The immense challenge that the volcanic landscape of Lanzarote presents to a winemaker has created a unique wine growing region that looks like it has jumped straight out of the pages of a sci-fi book.

The small green bush vines offer specks of contrast to the otherwise stark, black, volcanic landscape with each vine protected from the strong island winds by a dark semi-circular wall creating the effect of a crater and adding to the overwhelming feeling that you are on the moon.

The Volcanic Lanzarote Wineries
The moon-like landscape of the Lanzarote Wineries

A Brief History of Lanzarote wine

The island of Lanzarote has a long history of vine cultivation with mentions in some of Shakespeare’s works.

There are records of local wines being made as early as the 1500s but wine from the Canary Islands was incredibly popular in the UK even further back, in the 1400s. ,

However, that was a very different time when the soil was fertile and the land golden.

Fast forward to 1730 and disaster struck the island as a series of volcanic eruptions shook Lanzarote and covered much of it in a thick layer of lava. This is now the stark landscape that makes up Timanfaya National Park.

Far from being put off by this destruction, it was quickly discovered that vines thrived in these conditions and the residents started to produce wine again.

The farmers were able to regrow vines by digging a hole through the lava as the roots could reach the fertile soil below.

Lanzarote grape vine

As time passed the farmers discovered that the newly-formed layer of ash, known as picon, had a huge benefit to the growing of wine in Lanzarote.

As it turns out, picon has an amazing ability to absorb moisture and the little humidity in the air and then slowly release it to the roots, easing the challenges faced by the region’s lack of rainfall.

Cultivation

This discovery, that vines could produce great fruit when their roots stretch deep, has led to a method of dry cultivation that is completely unique to Lanzarote and known as ‘enarenado’.

Each vine is grown in its own small crater and is protected from the strong trade winds by its semi-circular wall, a ‘zoco’.

This style means that Lanzarote wineries rely on cultivating their crops by hand which makes the winemaking process heavily labour intensive.

As a result over 1500 people are employed in Lanzarote making wine and between them, they produce an average of 2 million litres annually.

Just to give you an incredibly rough statistic. If you take Australia’s wine production (13.7 million hectolitres) and divide by the estimated number of people working in their wine industry (17,200), it would work out that each person makes 79,651 litres of wine.

Compare that with little Lanzarote, where 1500 make 2,000,000 litres of wine, that’s just 1333 litres per person.

Vine roots reaching through the volcanic soil in a Lanzarote vineyard

Grapes types found in Lanzarote vineyards

Due to Lanzarote avoiding the phylloxera plague that decimated European vineyards in the 19th century, the vines are among some of the oldest original vines in Europe.

Most of the island’s wines are white wines with the predominant grape grown being Malvasía Volcánic, making up around 75% of production, with the rest split between a few other native varieties and classic Spanish grapes such as Moscatel, Listan Negro and Pedro Ximinez.

The growing climate

The Canaries wine as a whole is considered to have a Mediterranean climate, with long sunny days and warm winters. However, as the protective zocos that surround the vines are a testament to, the location of Lanzarote means it is subject to strong Atlantic breezes making it a borderline Maritime climate.

These cool sea winds chill the grapes at night which gives them a lovely acidity to counteract the sweetness developed during the long, sunny days.

Zocos in Lanzarote

Lanzarote wine characteristics

Obviously, there are multiple vineyards in Lanzarote, each putting their unique touch to their wines, so to say Malvasía Volcánic has a very light fruity flavour, with a refreshing crispness is a sweeping generalisation, but will hopefully give you an idea of what to expect.

Most Lanzarote wineries also make a sweet wine from the Malvasía, or also common is Moscatel. These tend to have a good balance between natural sugar and acidity. Sometimes sweet wine can taste a little thick or forced, but the Lanzarote wines I tried had a nice natural sweetness without a sticky aftertaste.

Love Spanish wine? read about my visit to antoher lesser-known wine region in the Sierra Francia Mountains: San Martín del Castañar

The wines of Lanzarote are generally a perfect match the traditional Lanzarote food and sea-influenced dishes you would expect to find on an island.

Lanzarote Designation of Origen

Lanzarote wine was awarded its unique D.O in 1993 and have been enjoyed throughout the globe. They are held in high regard among some of the finest in the world.

Lanzarote vienyards look like the moon

Why you should visit the wineries in Lanzarote

Outside of the island, Lanzarote wines are quite difficult to find. The main reasons for this are price and quantity.

Price: Due to the labour intensive process described above, Lanzarote wine is not cheap in comparison to other European wine. To buy a bottle direct at a vineyard, which is usually the cheapest place to do so, the prices range from around €8 going up to €25 plus.

It is a tasty, fresh wine made to be drunk young and based on what I tried, I would say the price is about right for the quality of the wine.

So if they were to export to other countries, by the time you add on the cost of transportation, import/export taxes, middleman fees and shop profit, it would probably retail at over €15 per bottle.

All of a sudden you are competing with some top quality wines and, while it is nice, for that price you could probably find something better.

Quantity: There just isn’t enough wine produced in the Lanzarote wineries to satisfy a large export market. Due to the way the vines have to be planted, the yield simply can’t compete with other Spanish DOs such as Rioja or Ribero Del Duero.

What this means is that visiting the vineyards and tasting their wines, maybe even buying a bottle or two to bring home, is something special.

Reaching the Lanzarote Wineries

The majority of the vineyards are located relatively close to each other in an area known as La Geria. The main road that runs through the region is the LZ-30, which links the towns of Teguise and Uga.

Most of the Lanzarote wineries can be found along the wine route that runs from Uga in the south to the Monumento al Campesino, a sculpture by local artist César Manrique that marks the geographical centre of the island.

So how to get there?

Cesar Manriques Monumento

Hire a car

The most flexible way to visit the Lanzarote wineries is to hire a car for the day (but see below about a co-pilot!). There are lots of car rental companies throughout Lanzarote and they offer great value.

I used CICAR Car Hire Lanzarote during my visit, a local company to the Canary Islands. Their cars were fantastic value, the service was great and I didn’t even need to leave credit card details. A super simple rental process.

They have rental locations in a few major tourist spots, including the ferry terminal and the airport. However, I was visiting during quiet season. If you don’t want the risk of no cars being available, you can book ahead. I like to use comparison sites to get a quote and tend to find Discover Cars usually are among the best prices.

Wine tours of Lanzarote

Now, it goes without saying, if you don’t have a co-pilot to take over the driving after a glass of wine, then maybe hiring a car is not the most convenient way.

Luckily you can book a Lanzarote wine tour and not have to worry about getting yourself around and a great idea if you are looking for something to do on a rainy day in Lanzarote.

The big drawback with these is that there is little flexibility in which vineyards you visit, but you will get to some of the main ones.

Book your wine tour in Lanzarote

Choose a walking tour 

Sadly I found out about this a little too late. There are Lanzarote vineyard walking tours in which you get to hike across the volcanic landscape stopping off at various bodegas along the way.

This seems like the perfect way to enjoy the wines, an opportunity to really get lost in the heritage of the area, see the vines up close, and of course, drink a glass or two of wine.

Take a guided tour 

Of course, you could also opt for a guided tour for ultimate comfort and no stress about driving. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many options, but there are a couple of great choices, one from the team at Get Your Guide and the other from the tour company Civitas. I have used both of these companies in the past, and they have never failed to deliver an excellent guide and are highly recommended.

Use the buttons below to take a look at their tours.

Oh, and one last thing before the vineyards, don’t forget to read my tips on flying with wine, as you will be taking some back with you!

10 Lanzarote wineries you can visit

The first ones I’ll talk about are some of the bodegas in Lanzarote that I was able to visit during my stay on the island.

1. Bodegas El Grifo

El Grifo Vineyard Lanzarote

El Grifo, which translates to The Tap in English, is the oldest winery in the Canary Islands and one of the ten oldest in Spain – some of their vines date back to the 19th century.

Located towards the northern end of LZ-30, just outside the village of La Florida, this is a great stop as they are well set up for visitors.

The winery offers a well-stocked shop with some of the best wines on the island plus self-guided tours of their old vineyard and wine museum.

YouTube video

What I loved about visiting El Grifo was the ability to walk among the zocos, get up close to the vines and look down to the roots.

Although I had read about how they are planted metres down into the soil, once I had peered down the hole, it really brought home the creativity and determination the original post-volcanic eruption wine-makers of Lanzarote must have had.

As well as a shop, complete with tasting area, and museum, there is a small cactus garden to enjoy.

Bodegas El Grifo visiting information

Opening times
Winter: 10:30am to 6 pm
Summer (8th of July until the 18th of September): 10:30am to 8 pm

Tour Price
Option 1 – €5 per person, for access to the museum, self-guided tour of the old vineyard and a tasting of one of their wines
Option 2 – €18 for 2 people, which includes the above and a tasting of 6 wines and local cheese.

Further information: https://elgrifo.com

2. La Geria Lanzarote

La Geria Vineyard Lanzarote

As one of the oldest wineries in Lanzarote, Bodega La Geria, is the most visited on the island; it is helped by being one of the first you come to when heading north on the LZ-30 from Yaiza.

The vineyard was bought by its current owner in 1993 and following a period of investment, they offer a wide range of wines taking advantage of modern wine-making technology while respecting the traditions of Lanzarote wine.

Bodegas La Geria visiting information

Opening times
Monday – Saturday: 9:30 am – 7 pm
Sunday: 10:30 am – 6 pm

Price
They have daily tours that set off at 2pm which last for 45 minutes and include a tasting of two wines. The price is €9 per person with children under 12 years free of charge.

While you don’t have to book, it is recommended to ensure there is space (as one of the largest vineyards in Lanzarote, they often look after coach tours).

Alternativly, You can just turn up at anytime and just pay for what you taste on a glass by glass basis.

Further information: You can book in advance by emailing [email protected] or head to thir website http://www.lageria.com

3. Bodega Rubicon Lanzarote

Rubicon Vineyard Lanzarote

Across the road from La Geria, literally staring it in the face, is Bodega Rubicon, an estate with a long history and among the best wineries on the island. The site has roots in farming dating back as far as 1570 when it is known that it used to grow many different kinds of cereal such as wheat, barley and rye.

Sadly, the original farmhouse fell victim to the Lanzarote volcanic eruptions between 1730 to 1736, destroying much of the estate.

Travel a few hundred years and you arrive at the modern history being made by the Rubicón Winery. The current owner purchased the site in 1979 with a dream to devote himself to his great passion: making wine.

Starting off making wine the traditional way with stone presses (which can still be seen dug into the ground to the side of the shop), as time passed they were able to purchase more vines and grow their business.

There is a small restaurant attached offering good priced traditional Lanzarote dishes, such as goat stew and patatas con mojo, with lovely views of the surrounding vines.

Bodega Rubicon visiting information

Opening Times
Daily from 10 am to 8 pm

Price
You can visit and wander for free and try wines at €1 per glass. There is also a guided tour that can be booked and includes 2 glasses of wine.

Further information: http://bodegasrubicon.com

4. Bodega La Querencia

La Querencia Vineyard Lanzarote

Just a few hundred metres north from La Geria and Rubicon, you could easily miss this charming little family business.

A small wooden sign, with the word Bodega crudely painted on it, points you up to a small track which is all that guides you to this little gem.

Well, that and looking at Google maps for vineyards that are still open at 4pm . . . that’s how I found it.

Bodegas La Querencia is the complete opposite of the three Lanzarote vineyards mentioned above and offers a completely different experience.

There is no museum or flash shop with multilingual staff. There is a man, a dog, a few tables and a mysterious voice that every now and again shouted instructions to him from inside the house. It really was a family setting.

Entrance to La Querencia

La Querencia has been in the family for five generations and all they do is make wine and sell it from their front garden. They don’t supply any restaurants or bottle wine for stores, nor do they have any ambitions to.

While the dry white was OK, the sweet Moscatel stole the show – the best wine I had tried. It could be a coincidence that it was also the last, so I had a bit of a buzz, but I’m confident I would have enjoyed it just as much if it was the first.

Looking at various reviews online, the vineyard seems to split opinions; people either love it or hate it. All I can do is judge on my experience and I’m happy to say I loved it.

The unique setting, and knowing this wine is just for this moment, you won’t get it anywhere else really focuses all the senses.

Bodega La Querencia visiting information

Opening Times
Monday to Saturday: 11 am – 6 pm

Price
There is no tour available but you can buy wine and cheese to sit and enjoy at €1 per glass

Further information: Just an unoffical Facebook page


The following vineyards I was not able to visit in this trip, but I have them marked should I return for future updates. I have, however, seen the wine for sale in various shops around Lanzarote and have researched that it is possible to organise visits if you would like to.

5. Los Bermejos Lanzarote

Los Bermejos Vineyard Lanzarote

Los Bermejos is another iconic wine of the region. Although I didn’t get to visit the vineyard, I have listed it is I bought a couple of bottles home and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Bodegas Los Bermejos visiting information

Opening Times
By appointment

Price
The cost of a tour is 12€ and it includes a tasting of two wines of your choice.

Further information: You can email the winery [email protected] or check out their website, although there isn’t much information there: https://losbermejos.com

6. Bodega Vulcano Lanzarote

Bodega Vulcano Lanzarote

Stylish volcano-shaped bottles and a cool name, I was disappointed I didn’t get to Vulcano; I definitely have it top of my list for vineyards to visit when I return.

Still relatively young, Bodega Vulcano was founded in 2009 with the passion and absolute dedication to cultivation and making young wine. Their concept is to create a “Boutique winery”; small productions of young wines with great quality.

Bodegas Vulcano visiting information

Opening Times
Monday – Friday: 10am to 3pm
Saturdays – 10am to 1:30pm
Sundays – Closed

Further information: https://bodegavulcano.es

7. La Florida Lanzarote

La Florida Vineyard Lanzarote

I tried to visit here, but got lost and ended up arriving after they closed. It didn’t turn out to be a bad thing as it was at this point I Googled vineyards that are still open at 4pm and came across La Querencia.

Situated in the village of La Florida (the clue’s in the name) they started making wine in 2012 and now the vines cover 200,000 square metres.

Bodegas La Florida Visiting Information

Opening Times
Tuesday – Saturday: 12 pm – 4 pm

Further information: http://www.bodegaslaflorida.com

8. Bodegas Vega de Yuco

Bodegas Vega de Yuco Vineyard Lanzarote

Bodegas Vega de Yuco is another young company, established in 1997, with the aim of obtaining a high-quality product as a result of the combination of traditional methods and newest technologies.

Let’s be honest now, that’s what every single one of them says. But here, they seem to back it up.

Their small production allows them to give lots of attention to their wines and a strong personality. This is evident as it stands out and is often referred to as the Lanzarote wine in the blue bottle which has become a bit of an iconic symbol for the winery.

Vega de Yuco visiting information

Opening Times
Monday to Friday: 9 am – 3 pm
Weekends – Closed

Price and Tour information
Vega de Yuco winery is a little hidden and located in the middle of a protected area. Due to the limited access and facilities, they don’t organize regular guided tours.

However, they do sometimes organize visits for small groups and if you’re lucky, you may be able to reserve a spot.  

The calendar can be found on their website and costs 10€. This includes a 90-minute tour and a tasting of three different wines.

Further information: https://vegadeyuco.es

9. Bodegas La Guigan

Bodegas Guiguan Vineyard Lanzarote

This styles itself as a traditional family winery that offers wines made with love and knowledge passed from father to son, for the sole purpose of pleasing the palate.

Bodegas La Guigan visiting information

La Guigan is located a little further away from the main cluster of vineyards in the small town of Tinajo.

As I couldn’t find much information on their website, I dropped them an email to ask about visiting. This is what I received back: “We do not have a store or do tours, but the winery is visitable and you can taste the wines.”

Find out more: http://bodegasguiguan.com

10. Bodega Antonio Suarez

This is a relatively new Bodega that I don’t know much about, but it seems you can visit. There is an unofficial Facebook page where people have started to leave reviews. It sounds like some really good feedback and I will definitely try to get there on my next visit to Lanzarote.

Cactus growing in lava
Life shines through the lava

Lanzarote Wine Map

Final thoughts on my day in the Lanzarote Wineries

When looking at things to do in Lanzarote, before my visit, one of the first things I came across were these weird-looking vineyards. A quick Google image search had me engrossed in the results; it seemed that I was looking at vineyards on a different planet and I had to see them for myself.

The experience did not disappoint.

The landscape was special, the stories and traditions authentic, the people friendly and passionate and most importantly, the wine was memorable.

So whether you are a passionate lover of the vine or simply a part-time indulger, a day in the Lanzarote wineries of La Greia is a must.

Have you visited any Lanzarote wineries? Let me know in the comments and I can always add it to this list.

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5 thoughts on “Top 10 Lanzarote Wineries | Incredible Volcanic Vineyards To Visit”

  1. Hi Matt – meant to thank you for your reply in October. I am now preparing for my trip to the Canaries. I’ll be using your advice and suggestions on Lanzarote. I plan to go on the La Geria vineyard walking tour too, which looks like a good way to get an overview. Are there any wineries on Gran Canaria, where I will be spending much of my time. (My wife is an avid tango dancer and here’s a festival there!)
    I’ll keep you in touch, and let you know how the book progresses.
    best, Bob

    Reply
    • Hi Bob – I haven’t been to Gran Canaria (yet) so I’m not sure. There probably will be, but I doubt they’ll have the stark landscape that you find on Lanzarote, this is what fascinated me the most during my visit. Tango festival sounds fun! Let us know how if goes and if you do find some vineyards you like, I’d love to hear about them.

      Reply
  2. Planning to visit Lanzarote vineyards next March researching a book about sustainable, organic and bio dynamic wines.
    Any info about cultivation practices employed in Lanzarote?
    Would appreciate any advice

    Bob

    Reply
    • Hi Bob, I have briefly covered it in the post, about the unique style of enarenado viticulture. If you are researching for a book then you may find this research paper of interest. Other than that check out El Grifo when you are there, they have a nice little museum with interesting facts. Hope that’s helpful.

      Reply

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