DESTINATIONS LANZAROTE FOOD & DRINK
layer of volcanic debris, and the soil is more fertile than ever, insulated from the sun and wind by a protective blanket of picón. That’s why the dark terrain is pitted with funnel-shaped holes – one vine in each – dug out of the earth and sheltered from the wind by a crescent moon of stones, each built up in a half- circle at the edge. It’s hard work, though. The island gets less than 150ml of rain a year, so water is scarce. The local varieties of grape – malvasia, listán blanco and negro, muscatel and diego – are small and sweet, yielding barely a tenth of the harvest of rioja or other more fruitful crops. And while other vineyards use machines to trundle up and down their long rows of vines, these grapes must be harvested by hand. But it’s a challenge worth
facing, according to Rafael Espino Curbelo, owner of Bodega
It’s important to bring back methods, to preserve the landscape, our culture and our heritage
RIGHT: Local winemaker Ascensión Robayna
Vega de Yuco, which produces around 4,000 bottles of organic wine among its total output of 200,000 bottles a year. He says: “Many farmers decided to change from traditional winegrowing in funnels to lines, because you can
save time and money. But now we have to add value to the wine. “There are many growers out
there, so the final product has to be better. This is the best way to produce, to protect our traditional landscapes and preserve the story of the wine.”
Book it: Tui offers a four to eight- hour Ecological Wine & Dine Experience visiting Bodega Vega de Yuco and Bodega La Geria, from £95 including tour, lunch and wine tasting, and transport from many hotels on the island.
tui.co.uk
Canaries calling
MARKET FORCES Browse the stalls of the Sunday market in Teguise, former capital of Lanzarote, where each weekend the cobbled streets come alive with locals.
Why spend all your time on the beach? There’s plenty more to love in Lanzarote
LUNAR LANDING Take a stroll around the other-worldly landscapes of Los Hervideros, a series of cliffs formed when molten lava met the churning waters of the sea, and a reminder of the unstoppable power of nature.
GREEN QUEEN Get your camera ready for the emerald- green lagoon of Charco de los Clicos, whose bright colour comes from algae in the water. It contrasts with the black sand of neighbouring El Golfo beach.
LADY OF THE LAKE Catch the moment the sun hits the lake in the lava caves at Jameos del Agua, lighting up this huge underground space in a kaleidoscope of colour.
FIRE STARTER
Tour Timanfaya National Park, ground zero for Lanzarote’s
volcanic eruption. Expect vast, barren landscapes, sheer red rock
faces and gnarled, black lava rocks – hence the ‘fire mountains’ moniker.
CACTI CRAZY Immerse yourself in the weird world of influential artist César Manrique at the Jardín de Cactus, bringing together colourful cacti from around the world.
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travelweekly.co.uk 25 April 2019
PICTURE: KATIE MCGONAGLE
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