Lanzarote Wine Experience

Driving from the port to the center of the island, arrive to Monumento al Campesino; situated one next to the other, the house museum and peasant monument were built to immortalize the hard work of Lanzarote’s peasant community whose efforts materialized in La Geria, a unique production of agricultural goods from a dry and arid land. The peasant monument known as the Monument to Fertility was designed by Cesar Manrique with water tanks from old fishing boats elevated onto a rock platform. The strength of this work is found in the mixing of local and traditional architectural elements such as bright white color and round lines with the modern use of recycled materials assembled as a “meccano”. The sculpture placed in the geographic center of Lanzarote has the effect of a lookout and, from its approximately 50 feet (15 meters) of height of superposed boat tankers, becomes a water metaphor; the water element has become a symbol of the peasant’s hard life. The house museum contains an extraordinary collection of utensils and instruments used by the peasant community throughout history to work, transport and store products, or simply to live. After a short drive through the dramatic wine landscape of La Geria, you’ll arrive at Bodegas La Geria for a tour of the wine cellar and a taste of the local wine. La Geria wine cellar is one of the most important in Lanzarote and the Canary Islands. It is located in the heart of Lanzarote’s main wine producing area. Built at the end of the 19th century by the Rijo family, it experienced crucial technological improvements after the takeover in 1993 by its current owners, allowing the production of high quality wines. Next, you’ll visit El Grifo Wine Museum, housed in ancient bodegas dating back to 1775 and built on top of the solidified lava from a volcanic eruption. A true example of local architecture, the cellar is marked by the simplicity of its construction materials: extraordinary thick walls made of volcanic stones and plaster combined with ceilings supported by long wooden beams, mainly coming from derelict ships. The exemplary ethnographic collection dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries gives the visitor an opportunity to observe the evolution of wine making equipment. Cesar Manrique´s monument to the mythological griffin placed on the road indicates access to the museum. During the visit at El Grifo, you’ll taste three different local wines with the assistance of a professional sommelier. Note: You must be at least 18 years of age in order to participate in the wine tasting.