Wine and vineyards tours, wine tourism in Ibiza
Summer and autumn are the best times to embark on the wine and vineyard tour of Ibiza, a highly appealing plan for gourmet travellers who enjoy discovering and savouring the finest local products during their holidays. If you enjoy wine tourism, on the White Island you will find wineries, tastings, and sustainable vineyards, along with a centuries-old winemaking tradition. Raise your glass!
Although vineyards are scattered across the island, the largest estates are located around Sant Antoni and Sant Mateu. As soon as you leave the main roads and take the secondary routes connecting these two centres, a large portion of the 54 hectares that are part of the Protected Geographical Indication Ibiza Wine / Vi d’Eivissa will appear along the way. A rural landscape steeped in tradition that goes beyond the party and beach image for which the island is internationally renowned.
Ibizan Wine: History and Characteristics
The production of grapes and winemaking in Ibiza dates back to the 7th century BC, as evidenced by the discovery of vessels and amphorae that the Phoenicians used to store wine. Subsequently, the Romans applied new cultivation techniques and improved winemaking processes, establishing a viticultural tradition that reached its peak in 1862. That year, France imported large quantities of wine from Ibiza to meet growing demand, providing a significant boost to the island’s wine industry. At the end of the century, this blight also reached Ibiza, forcing the uprooting of numerous vines and reducing activity to local production for self-consumption. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the island’s winemakers embraced quality and technology to open a new chapter in the history of wine in Ibiza.
What are Ibiza’s wines like?
The grape varieties used for producing wine with IGP Vino de Ibiza / Vi d’Eivissa come exclusively from the following varieties of the Vitis vinifera species: Monastrell, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah for the red varieties; and Macabeo, Chardonnay, Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat à petits grains, Parellada, and Malvasia for the whites.
In the glass, the red wines are cherry or picota red in colour, with aromas of ripe fruit and strawberry caramel. On the palate, these wines are dense, rounded, and warm, with hints of fruit with brandy. For their part, the rosé wines exhibit shades ranging from salmon to cherry pink, with a balance of aroma and body. Finally, Ibiza’s white wines range from lemon yellow to straw yellow, with aromas of ripe apple and flowers, and offer balance and freshness on the palate.
Some of their organoleptic characteristics have a direct link to the island’s geographical peculiarities, such as its high insolation, high temperatures, and water scarcity, which accelerate grape ripening, result in low yields, and enhance a high content of polyphenols and sugars. On the other hand, the clayey soil, with its high carbonate content, moderates the alcohol content of the wines.
Ibiza Wine Route: A Guide to the Island’s Wineries and Vineyards
The small size of the island allows you to complete this route in just one day or visit its wineries over several days, whether on your way to the beach, at the start of a hiking trail, or during a road trip through inland Ibiza…
Can Maymó, Sant Mateu
This charming family-run winery, founded by Ibizan Antonio Costa in 1995, boasts 7 hectares of vineyards spread around the villages of Sant Mateu, Santa Gertrudis, and Sant Agnès, with most of them trellised. Their work is based on the utmost respect for the environment, which is why they carry out pruning and harvesting by hand, vine by vine. Visitors can tour the winery and enjoy wine tastings accompanied by an appetiser or a selection of Ibizan cheeses and cured meats. Checking availability in advance is recommended.
Visits
Tours and tastings must be booked in advance. Contact the winery directly to check the available dates and times.
Can Rich de Buscastell, Sant Antoni
Close to the village of Sant Antoni, this winery was one of those that in the 1990s set out to give Ibiza’s wine the place it deserved. With a total of 21 hectares of vineyards featuring both traditional and foreign varieties, it stands out for its organic production, as pioneers on the island. In addition to their organic wines and sparkling wines, they also produce Ibizan herbs, vermouth, vinegar, and olive oils thanks to their more than 3,000 olive trees planted around the Ses Salines Natural Park.
Visits
Tours are available from Monday to Friday at 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. You must submit a booking request and wait for the winery to confirm availability.
Ojo de Ibiza, Sant Mateu
Founded in 2015 by Dieter Meier on the site of the former Sa Cova winery, its 12 hectares of vineyards produce red, rosé and white wines. The winery organises exclusive tastings where visitors can discover its wines and winemaking philosophy, accompanied by local products. Enquiries about private tours and other experiences are also welcome upon request.
Visits
Tastings are offered seasonally and must be booked in advance. Contact the winery directly to check availability.
Ibizkus, Santa Eulària
Located on the main road connecting Ibiza Town and Santa Eulària, this winery, founded in 2007, has a tasting room that is open all year round. Wine tastings can also be booked. You can choose from various options, ranging from one that includes 4 Can Bassó and Ibizkus wines with appetisers, to one focused on pairing, where the wines are accompanied by Iberian cured meats, island cheeses, and other gastronomic products.
Visits
Tasting room and shop: Mondays from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesdays to Fridays from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
A hotel for your wine tourism holiday in Ibiza
Located less than a 20/25-minute drive from the vineyards of Sant Antoni, Sant Mateu, and Santa Gertrudis, Amàre Beach Hotel Ibiza offers you a luxurious base for visiting the wineries of Ibiza. Upon your return, you can savour their wines in our gastronomic spaces and on the rooftop, as well as unwind in fabulous rooms and suites, at either of the two pools or at the Spa by Germaine Capuccini. Book your stay today and get ready to experience a gourmet holiday straight out of a film. #WhatAFeeling!
