The history of Canary wine dates back to around the 15th century when Spanish conquerors introduced grapevines to the island. The unique climate, with its hot and dry summers and mild winters, combined with the volcanic soil, provided the perfect conditions for growing grapes, and Gran Canaria wine quickly became a popular export. These traditions have been passed down from generation to generation, and today, it’s still a vital part of Gran Canaria’s cultural heritage.

In the 19th century, Europe was hit by a phylloxera epidemic that devastated the vineyards, and it wasn’t until the 20th century that the industry began to recover. However, due to its amazing volcanic soil, the Canary Islands never suffered phylloxera, allowing the region to grow an abundance of varieties that disappeared from Europe during the epidemic. 

That’s why Gran Canaria grows ungrafted vines across the island’s nearly 11,000 hectares of vineyards, with the wines produced here being known for their unique flavour and character.

Wine Tasting Experiences in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is a hidden gem in the world of wine tourism, offering stunning landscapes, unique wines, and a rich history of winemaking. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or a casual drinker, a trip to the island is an unforgettable experience. So, if you are looking for things to do in Gran Canaria, be sure to visit some of the island’s top wineries, try the local food pairings, and take in the beauty of the vineyards – just make sure you book your tour in advance!

Further info about our wine adventures

Check our amazing itineraries, and when you find your perfect wine match, contact us for further information. 

Now you know, Gran Canaria is also a destination to drink and eat until you have to go. 

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Last January, my dear customers Hans and his lovely wife Esther, called me again for a private custom tour. From Playa del Inglés I drove them to Tejeda, we took the road from Mogán through La Presa de las niñas. The road is scary, super winding and gorgeous. If you are highsick I wouldn’t recommend it. My dearest clients are from Switzerland, but they do trust me when I tell them, it’s going to be cold. To be honest, you never know on the top of the island. Even the summit has south orientation and north. The mountains are high enough to get stuck at north of the island, leaving the south clear. However, that wasn’t the case. That day we got cold, foggy, a bit of sunny a load of rainbows. It was so much fun, and cold and intrepid. We visited a cave at 1300m above the ocean level, a cave winery, with the most stunning views of Tejeda crater. In such an altitude the grapes get very extreme temperatures, both summer and winter.

Last January, some dear customers of mine, Hans and his lovely wife Esther, called me for a private custom tour. From Playa del Inglés, I drove them to Tejeda; we took the road from Mogán through La Presa de las niñas. The road is scary, super winding, and utterly gorgeous, although if you suffer from altitude sickness, I wouldn’t recommend it! 

Hans and Esther are from Switzerland, and they have taken a few Gran Canaria trips with me before, so they trusted me when I said it was likely going to be cold. That’s not always the case, as the mountains are high enough for weather systems to get stuck at the north of the island, leaving the south clear. However, on this particular tour, that wasn’t the case, and the day we got was cold and foggy with glimpses of sunlight that created beautiful rainbows.

It was a day filled with fun, first visiting a cave winery that sits at 1,300m above sea level, offering delicious Canary wine and stunning views of Tejeda crater. At such an altitude, the grapes get very extreme temperatures, both summer and winter. To give you a quick idea, that day, we left Playa del Inglés with 21ºC to arrive in Tejeda with 6ºC – despite being only a one-hour driving distance!

The constantly changing scenery and amazing weather make outdoor activities a wonderful experience for holidaymakers looking for things to do in Gran Canaria. That day with my clients, we ended with a drive toward Las Palmas through San Mateo Village. Not only was it a beautiful way to end the day, but temperatures climbed back to 19ºC in the afternoon, making for a very pleasant finish.

Gran Canaria weather offers a real mix of hot and cold temperatures, which, when combined with the extreme altitude and volcanic soil, makes for some very special wines. Some of the vineyards in Gran Canaria are the highest in Spain, and it’s hard to beat the incredible views and delicious Canary wines!

This cave winery is one of our favorite locations for a wine tour in Gran Canaria. Facing south, it receives ten hours of light during the spring and summer months, while in the winter, it can drop to as low as zero degrees, making it a truly one-of-a-kind winery! 

When looking for things to do in Gran Canaria, make sure you visit some of the island’s top wineries, try the local food pairings, and take in the beauty of the vineyards – just don’t forget to book your tours in advance to make the most of your experience.

Further info about our wine adventures

Check our amazing itineraries, and when you find your perfect wine match, contact us for further information. 

Now you know, Gran Canaria is also a destination to drink and eat until you have to go. 

Related Articles

Gran Canaria has a long and fascinating history of winemaking, dating back to the 15th century when the Spanish conquerors introduced grapevines to the island. The unique climate, with its hot and dry summers and mild winters, combined with the volcanic soil, creates the perfect conditions for growing grapes. The winemaking tradition on the island has been passed down from generation to generation, and today, it’s still a vital part of Gran Canaria’s cultural heritage.

In the 19th century, Europe was hit by a phylloxera epidemic that devastated the vineyards in the whole continent, and it wasn’t until the 20th century that the industry began to recover. Due to its amazing volcanic soil, the Canary Islands never suffered phyloxera. We grow  many varieties that disappears in Europe during the epidemic. That’s the reason why Gran Canaria grow ungrafted vines. This could help to understand the character of our Atlantic Ocean volcanic wines. There are around 11,000 hectares of vineyards on the island, and the wines produced here are known for their unique flavor and character. 

Wine Tasting Experiences in Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is a hidden gem in the world of wine tourism, offering stunning landscapes, unique wines, and a rich history of winemaking. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or a casual drinker, a trip to Gran Canaria is sure to be an unforgettable experience. Be sure to visit some of the island’s top wineries, try the local food pairings, and take in the beauty of the vineyards. And don’t forget to book your tours in advance to make the most of your wine tourism experience in Gran Canaria and forget about everything else but enjoying your wine adventure.

Further info about our wine adventures

Handmade tours have been running wine and gastronomy trips since 2014. 

Check our amazing itineraries, and when you find your perfect wine match, contact us for further information. 

Now you know, Gran Canaria is also a destination to drink and eat until you have to go. 

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