La Geria

The eruptions of 1730 to 1736 covered a quarter of Lanzarote with lava and spread lapilli, black volcanic gravel, far beyond it, and farmers found that it worked as a mulch: it absorbs the little rain and the night dew and releases it to the roots while preventing evaporation. In La Geria they dug hollows down through the ash to the soil beneath, planted a single vine in each, and built a low crescent wall of lava blocks on the windward side, producing a landscape of thousands of black craters each with one vine, worked entirely by hand since no machine can enter. The grape is mainly Malvasia Volcanica, making dry and sweet whites. Several bodegas along the road receive visitors, and the harvest is in August, unusually early.

What you'll find

• The dug hollows - thousands of pits in black ash, one vine in each.
• The crescent walls - low lava windbreaks around every plant.
• The bodegas - wineries along the road offering tastings.
• The August harvest - picking by hand, months earlier than mainland Spain.

When to go

Year-round for the landscape, which is striking in any season; August for the harvest. The road through La Geria is the standard route and can be driven in an hour with stops.

Practical notes

Yields are tiny and the wine is expensive for what it is, reflecting the hand labour. Tastings need a driver who does not drink. The vineyards are private and walking among them is not permitted.

Nearby

Timanfaya national park lies west; Yaiza and the southern coast are south.