Lanzarote grape harvest could be biggest for years

This year’s grape harvest is likely to be the largest for many years, according to Ramón Melian of Bodegas La Geria.

Melian said “We had a good winter with plenty of rain and the vines on Lanzarote, which are magical, have responded well after a few years of drought. They’re providing lots of grapes, and they’re good, healthy grapes.”

He predicted that the island could produce around 3.5 million kilos of grapes this summer. If true, this would more than double the yields of 2025 and 2024 and beat the 3.2 million kilos gathered in 2023.

Melian spoke during the Fiesta de la Virgen de Caridad at La Geria on Saturday. At this annual event, workers in traditional dress took two camels, named Andres and Aida, to the vineyards, where they were loaded in the traditional manner. The grapes were then carried back to the bodega, weighed and placed in a large stone vat where visitors were allowed to tread them by foot.

The fiesta continued with a mass and celebrations at the pretty little church next to the bodega, which was completely buried in volcanic ash during the eruptions of the 18^th century.