Ibiza, a veritable all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of beaches around a compact island, is more than just its sand and sun. There is a fantastic dose of history on the island, dating back thousands of years. There’s also a great food scene, which revolves around the local products and of course the wines.
By no means is Ibiza like Italy or France, which are renown worldwide for their long-standing wine culture and tradition. Ibiza is much, much smaller with just a handful currently producing. Despite this, the wines are unique and interesting, capturing all the wild flavours that abound across the island.
The weather is one of the principal advantage as well as the rich red soil which contributes to the distinctive taste of the island’s wine. The wine of Ibiza is known with the denomination of “Vino de la Tierra” and it’s produced primarily by using the local grapes of Monastrell and Malvasía.
You can start your wine tour by going on the north of the island, in the quiet village Sant Mateu D‘Albarca, where you can see most of the wineries of the island.
Start your visit at Can Maymó Winery, a small family-run business started by Antonio Costa in 1995. They used to focus their production exclusively on the typical Island grapes: the Monastrell grape and the white Malvasía grape. Nowadays they also include Tempranillo, Syrah and Merlot in their wines. This winery is the ideal choice if you are on holiday with your family as the vineyard includes a small farm where kids can play with animals like goats, donkeys, sheep and hens, as well as exotic birds.
Sa Cova Winery is small, family-run winery in a sheltered valley near San Mateu. The winery was started as a hobby by Juan Boned and their first wine was launched on the market in 1993. The vineyard stretches over 10 hectares surrounded by lush pine hills. Their production is small but that’s where its charm lies. A member of the Boned family will personally take you on a tour through the vineyards and cellars, followed by a tasting of all the wines produced. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or not, this guided tour is a great way to pass the day and learn a thing or two!
In the middle of the island you will find Ibizikus, this winery is located on the outskirt of the pretty village of Santa Gertrudis. Probably the youngest wine business on the island, Ibizikus was started by Laurent Fresard in 2006. They produce primarily using Monastrell grapes and their core product is a delicious rosé. Their wine tour takes you through their vineyard, cellars and ends with a wine tasting with tapas.
On the West coast of the island you will find Can Rich Winery, in the quaint vineyards of Buscastell – San Antonio. Can Rich is the only organic wine-producer in Ibiza. They rooted its first grape vines in 1997 but it was only in 1999 when the actual winery was built and started to implement their unique set of organic farming techniques. The winery combines both local grapes with imported grapes to produce its wines: Malvasía and Chardonnay for the whites, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo and Monstrell for the reds, and Syrah for the sparkling wines. During their guided tour you will learn about organic wine production, the history of the bodega as well as the history of the island.
All the wineries offer all year wine tasting tour so whenever you are planning to visit Ibiza- wether for a long week or only few days – just let us know and we will be happy to help you book it.