La Geria
La Geria is an area of 5,255 hectares in the geographical center of the Canary Island of Lanzarote , on which there are cultivated areas cultivated in a special way. It extends roughly between Yaiza and San Bartolomé on the edge of the Timanfaya National Park . Mainly used for wine growing, the La Geria nature reserve is the largest wine growing area in the Canary Islands.
The decline of volcanic ash from the severe volcanic eruptions in the years 1730 to 1736 created an area here with thick layers of lapilli (called: picón ) 1 to 2.5 meters thick. Probably out of necessity, a successful, special type of dry field cultivation developed .
In order to get back to fertile soil, funnel-shaped depressions were dug into the lapilli layer and a single plant was placed at the bottom. The coarse-pored layer allows the very low rainfall of 100 to 200 mm per year, almost exclusively in winter, to seep into the rooted soil quickly. At the same time it reduces - in addition to a lateral runoff of the water and the associated erosion - the evaporation losses due to its low capillary effect and thermal conductivity . In addition to the recess, semicircular walls made of basaltic lava rocks often protect the individually growing vines from the sometimes strong winds.
The method proved to be so efficient that particularly large deposits of lapilli in the La Geria region are mined in small open-cast mines and exported to other parts of the island in order to be applied as an artificial mulch layer about 10 cm thick on fields that were not affected by the volcanic eruptions . In contrast to the La Geria region called Enarenado natural , this cultivation method is called Enarenado artificial and is used less in viticulture than in vegetable cultivation. However, under today's framework conditions, this complex process is increasingly uneconomical and the area under cultivation is declining.
Sometimes it is also assumed that the lapilli layer provides more water from the air for the plants due to the increased cooling of its surface and a hypothetical suction effect at night. In fact, the trade winds that prevail on Lanzarote lead to a generally frequent and productive dew formation . A related benefit of the Enarenado areas could not be confirmed in various studies - other than their evaporation-inhibiting effect.
The wine produced in this delightful environment is preferably made from the Moscatel and Malvasia grape varieties . There are several wineries in this area that invite you to degustación , for wine tasting. The oldest winery in the Canaries, El Grifo , is also close to this area. The Museo del Vino (wine museum) is attached to the bodega .
In the 1960s, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City declared this wine-growing region a total work of art.
The Lanzarote winegrowers produce around five million liters of wine per year on this cultural landscape with the support of the strong sunlight.
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Coordinates: 28 ° 58 '25.4 " N , 13 ° 42' 1.9" W.