Wednesday, 25 March 2015 11:06

Lanzarote White Wine Taste Off

Lanzarote wine tasting Lanzarote wine tasting

With Lanzarote's La Geria, Vega de Yuco and El Grifo white wines common on Gran Canaria supermarket shelves and selling for seven to eight euros, we tasted all three so that you know which is the best buy.

The three are dry white Malvasia wines from the La Geria wine region of Lanzarote so we expected them to be similar and to be typical Lanzarote whites.

Malvasia whites from Lanzarote are aromatic and should remind you of summer fruits like apricots and peaches, and white flowers like jasmine. They taste crisp and fruity and have a long, intense finish. Good ones have a characteristic zing.

Here're the results of a blind tasting of the 2014 vintage of all three: 

La Geria

Smells of vanilla and wood with a hint of lemon. In the mouth dry and crisp with no real fruit flavours. No malvasia zing and no intense finish. A hint of wood suggests that this wine has been lightly oaked.

The poorest of the three: Not worth the 7 euro price tag and not a good representative of Lanzarote's white wines.

El Grifo

This wine has pedigree: It's made by the oldest winery in the Canary islands and one of the oldest in Spain. 

There's not much going on in terms of smell. A slight fruitiness is all we could detect. Once you try it you get a hint of citrus (Limoncello) and an intense finish. The acidity is balanced by a tiny bit of sweetness. El Grifo definitely has the Malvasia zing, but it does lack a bit of flavour.

We put it in second place; far better than La Geria but not quite as good as ...

Vega de Yuca

This wine smells intensely of white flowers like jasmine, but that doesn't come through so much when you try it. 

In the mouth, there's a hint of citrus and plenty of acidity and Malvasia zing. Overall it's a great Lanzarote white but it does smell a bit better than it tastes and it lacks a little in intensity. 

Overall we thought it was the best of the three and great value. 

Conclusion

The El Grifo and Vega de Yuco are good value for seven to eight euros and we recommend trying them when you're in Gran Canaria. If you like them and want to explore other Lanzarote Malvasia's look out for Yaiza (in the tall blue bottle) and Bermejo (green bottle with a rounded top). The Yaiza sells for 10 to 12 euros and Bermejo starts at 13 euros. The extra money gives you tropical fruit flavours and a richer feel in the mouth. 

For a cheaper taste of Canary Islands wine, the La Frontera (tall green bottle) from El Hierro sells for less than five euros in big supermarkets and is far better than most Spanish wines at the same price. It's crisp, fruity and acidic and goes beautifully with white fish. 

 

Published in Wine

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  • Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?
    Exchange Money In Gran Canaria Or At Home?

    Visitors to Gran Canaria often ask whether it is better to exchange their local currency for euros at home or in Gran Canaria. 

    The answer is that it is almost always better to buy your euros at home than it is to bring pounds to Gran Canaria and use local banks or currency exchanges. This rule of thumb applies all over the world. A currency is almost always cheaper the further away you are from the place you can spend it (because demand for it is lower). 

    Exchange rates are almost always better at home than in Gran Canaria

    You are very likely to get a better exchange rate using a British currency exchange specialist or local bank. Many of these companies will deliver your euros to your home.

    One of the best rates in the UK is often from the post office, especially if you do it well in advance.

    The only way you'll get a better rate in Gran Canaria than at home is if the exchange rate changes while you are travelling and this is rare. 

    You also have to bear in mind that currency exchanges in Gran Canaria are getting rarer and some local banks don't exchange money for non-clients. 

    To Transfer large amouynts of money to Gran Canaria, or to make regular transfers, always use a reputable currency broker such as Currencies Direct. This will save you money on exchange rates and bank charges and is highky secure. 

    The risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria

    Another important factor to consider is the risk of bringing cash to Gran Canaria: If it is lost or stolen, there is no way of getting it back. 

    It is much safer to bring a debit or credit card and use local bank ATMs to take out money. These days, a good option is a pre-charged debit card. 

    Cards may be slightly more expensive that carrying cash, unless you seek out a bank card with low commissions, but it is much more secure. 

    Bank ATMs like Bankia, Santander and BBVA often charge lower rates than the ATMs in shopping centres and busy tourist areas.

    Alex Says: Always select the Euro option at ATMs in Gran Canaria because the exchange rate is much better than if you opt for the Local Currency option. The same applies when you pay by card in shops and restaurants.

    See our Gran Canaria Tips section for more nuggets of useful local information.

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