Lanzarote’s bubbles are coming into their own. By looking beyond Malvasía Volcánica to other traditional island varieties, producers are experimenting as never before, creating new flavours and styles in a category that is clearly here to stay.
Lanzarote’s reputation for wine owes much to Malvasía Volcánica, a pre-phylloxera grape variety found nowhere else in the world. In recent years, however, the island’s bubbles have begun to make their own name, building on a significant precedent set in the 1990s, when the Canary Islands’ first-ever sparkling wine was produced in Lanzarote from the same variety.
The growth of Lanzarote’s sparkling wine sector reflects the natural evolution of an industry looking to broaden its horizons without losing its identity. The grapes’ naturally high acidity, together with early harvesting and the distinctive influence of the rofe (volcanic gravel), trade winds and Atlantic Ocean, provides particularly favourable conditions for producing quality sparkling wines. The result is freshness and finesse, with wines distinguished by their personality and authenticity rather than the scale on which they are produced.
Although Malvasía Volcánica remains the leading variety, producers are increasingly turning to other grapes traditionally grown on the island. Diego, Listán Blanco and Moscatel are all proving well suited to sparkling winemaking, as is Listán Negro for sparkling rosé. Each brings a distinct aromatic and structural profile, broadening the range of styles while retaining the volcanic character that defines Lanzarote wine.
Production remains limited and, in many cases, largely artisanal. Working on this scale gives winemakers the freedom to experiment with different periods of ageing on the lees, production methods and varietal blends, adding to the range of wines available. Lanzarote’s sparkling wines are therefore both an established category and an area of continuing exploration, where traditional winemaking sits comfortably alongside new ideas.
This new generation of sparkling wines confirms that the potential of Lanzarote’s vineyards reaches far beyond the still whites that have already earned national and international recognition. Each bottle offers a fresh interpretation of the volcanic landscape. Precise, vibrant wine with an unmistakable identity, reflecting the island’s ability to reinvent itself without losing its bond with the land.
Pedro J. Benasco Curbelo
Tasting Committee, D.O. Lanzarote
