Volcanic Wine Tasting at Bodega Stratvs in the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands
This private tour and wine tasting was made possible as part of the exclusive Distinctive Voyages package provided by travel advisors associated with Travel Leaders Network to their clients.
During our recent nine-night Atlas cruise from Lisbon to the Canary Islands, we had the great luck to make some amazing friends that included Julie and Keith Nootbaar. Keith invited us to a wine and cheese tasting he was hosting; at the very first volcanic winery we had ever visited: Bodega Stratvs in the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands!
The Nootbaars were there as hosts for Distinctive Voyages, but Keith also owns Cleveland Cruise and Travel.
In his own words:
Several years ago, I left the corporate hustle behind to dedicate my expertise to helping others achieve their travel dreams. Why? Because I love crafting solutions, diving into the details, and turning ideas into incredible journeys. At my agency, every trip is handled with care, ensuring no detail is overlooked and that you always get the best value. Over the years, I’ve traveled to all 7 continents, visited 75+ countries, and circled the globe more times than I can count. And here’s the kicker: I planned and booked most of those trips myself.
Now, back to volcanic wine tasting, which started with a short drive from the cruise terminal into vineyards like nothing we’ve ever seen before. A wisp of a vine laying on the ground in dark sandy volcanic soil; each surrounded on one side by a rock wall and in the center was a slightly concave pit to protect the vines from the wind. Our bus driver said they basically thrive from condensation alone. Remarkable.
The amazing views of all of those vineyards was one thing, but driving into Stratvs and touring their grounds and winery was another. There seemed to be no expense spared in both. Chandeliers in the barrel room, a lab fit for a king, and once we went outside again we discovered multiple tasting areas.
During the Stratvs tour we learned that the condensation, along with the volcanic soil, provides enough water for the vines. We also learned that the area grows potatoes, mint, rosemary, fig trees and other “small, intense and sweet fruits.”
We started our tasting with a sweet rose gold-colored wine made predominantly with sundried Muscadet grapes that had notes of dried fig, stewed fruits with orange honey on the palate. We also enjoyed a dry white wine that had a sweet nose and lots of minerals in the flavor. Then we had a young red made predominantly from Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz that had aromas stronger over flavor notes; very fruity and dry – the red grapes are not destemmed in the winemaking process. Most of the guests enjoyed the red best, I preferred the sweet white.
The wine tasting also included a cheese tasting, which was exceptional with the sweet white wine. The cheeses, which can be found in the winery’s gourmet shop and restaurant, are from Finca De Uga. The wines from Bodega Stratvs, which vary in production year to year,are only sold on the Canary Islands.
For this article I also wanted to give you information straight from Stratvs:
The island of Lanzarote is a testament to the transformative power of nature, where the eruptions of the Timanfaya volcano between 1730 and 1736 shaped a spectacular landscape, unique in the world.
The careful architectural design of Stratvs reflects a commitment to sustainability and respect for the volcanic environment, using local materials that blend harmoniously with the landscape, laying the foundations for the production of wines with a distinctive character, recognized both nationally and internationally.
Under the guidance of Raúl Pérez, considered one of the most renowned winemakers in the world and known for his unconventional approach, respect for the land and winegrowing traditions, hard work is devoted to crafting wines that capture the full essence of our land.
Sidebar: We also had a volcanic wine tasting on the ship from Conatvs Fuerteventura
We tasted a sweet white, Rose and a young red, all 2024 vintages. There was no way to avoid aromas and flavors of salinity due to the “trade winds that bring salt and cleans the vines”, but there was also notes of bruised apple, lemon and white flower on the white; Maraschino cherry, sherry, peach and minerals on the Rose; and fresh young cherry and plum fruit on the red whose roots reached 30 meters down to get water.
In conclusion I would say that if you are offered a trip to see these vineyards – thanks again Keith – and taste the wines, don’t pass it up. At the very least you will educate both your nose and palate to wines with mild salinity but great flavor.
https://clevelandcruisetravel.com/
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email [email protected] to ask a question about wine or spirits.
