While you are enjoying your stay at Sands Beach Resort Hotel, the selection of bars and restaurants will be pleased to introduce you to a few of the many fine varieties of wine produced in Lanzarote. The combination of volcanic soil and hot weather produces some very special grapes, and there are several vineyards around the island that welcome visitors to learn about the proud history of wine making, and of course to taste the end result. As you travel around the island you will notice that vines are grown in a special way, in small hollows in the ground with a low wall in front of them to protect them from the harsher winds, these beds are called Gerias.

Lets look at 2 vineyards, or bodegas as they are called in Spain, both with a big reputation. El Grifo is at the centre of Lanzarote, and one of the oldest bodegas in Spain, Dating back to 1775, it has been passed down through the same family and prides itself on using traditional methods assisted by the latest technology. The 61.5 hectares site includes a museum that attracts 60,000 visitors a year and a museum with 4,000 books about the art of wine making.

A more modern bodega is the Stratvs at la Geria in Yaiza, it’s a mere baby at just 150 years old. In recent years it has undergone a complete make over and now has one of the most state of the art brewing centres in europe. Don’t let that deter you, the basic ingredients and method of making wine are the same and the taste will convince you that they have made a good marriage of old and new. There is a restaurant on site so you can test the wine against a good meal, and tours can be arranged to see the wine making process.

If you check with reception at Sands Beach Resort Hotel, they can advise you of organised coach trips to a bodega, let someone else drive and enjoy a taste of Lanzarote. If you are out and about around the island, ask for a local wine, you wont be dissapointed. Cheers