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n the last decade, thanks to pioneering chefs, farmers and vintners, Mallorca’s food and wine scene has become something of a movement. With an interest in sustainable agriculture, restaurants focused on developing a zero-kilometre approach to their menu, and wineries taking the lead in natural and biodynamic wines, it’s a great moment in the Balearics for gastronomy and viticulture. View Mallorca selected four wineries across the island with a forward-thinking approach to winemaking and production. These wineries are not only producing top wines, but are investing in eco-sustainable architecture that integrates with the landscape and respects local building techniques while also using the latest technologies to create energy efficient production methods to save energy and costs. Each is approaching their profession with an attention to the environment, to sustainable living and therefore, to better wines as well.
Bodegas Ribas
Bodegas Ribas is a multi-generational family winery established in 1711 in Consell, in the heart of Mallorca’s wine-making region. While for many years, Ribas was known for its top wine but sold in a more commercial way, in the late 20th century, it transformed its brand to have its own line of bottles – including reds, white and rose’s, all of which quickly developed a top reputation. After three-centuries of production, in 2019, the Ribas family opened a new addition to their cellar. Designed by the studio of Spanish architect, Rafael Moneo, the goal was to modernise their facilities and increase production with a truly sustainable architecture that would integrate with the landscape and adapt to their energy efficiency standards. The stand-out building uses local stone, a gabled roof and features a beautiful underground barrel room as well as contemporary design features for the tasting room.
Son Juliana
A small production winery founded in 2013 near Binissalem with a focus on natural wines, Son Juliana doesn’t use chemicals on the grapes and they are interested in keeping healthy soils and natural production methods. French and American oak barrels are used in the ageing process. Like many forward-thinking wine producers, Son Juliana uses technology for better efficiency and better wines. In 2014, they asked Mallorcan architects, munarq, to design their ecological wine cellar. This energy efficient building uses solar panels and geothermal energy for nearly all of their energy consumption and is designed to align with the flow of the production process. Made with local stone, the building is a beautiful example of sustainable architecture on the island.
Can Axartell
Located in the northeast of the island near Pollensa, Can Axartell’s heritage as a wine growing estate dates back nearly 800 years ago when Mallorca was being settled by the Christian conquerors. It is also an important producer of olives as well. In 1999 the estate took on new owners and they planted the first vines, already with the goal of going organic. As the winery expanded, they wanted to build an onsite bodega that could incorporate the energy efficient production methods such as the Mètode Graveta. While the phrase, ‘embedded in its surroundings’, can apply to a lot of architecture connected to the landscape, in the case of the bodega Can Axartell, it is literally embedded in the empty quarry stone that was on the property. A modern building built into the stone, with a spiralling central stairwell creates an impressive 4-storey site of production, selling, tastings and events.
Son Mayol
French expertise combined with an ideal Mallorcan terroir and micro climate, is proving successful for Son Mayol, a biodynamic wine producer set on a vast stretch of land in Puigpunyent. Launched by a few Swiss entrepreneurs in 2001 with a desire to start a vineyard, the land of Son Mayol boasts varied soils and sloping hillsides perfect for growing the Cabernet and Merlot grapes they desired. In addition to producing award-winning wines that are nearly impossible to find because of their popularity, in 2016 Son Mayol opened an ecological wine cellar designed by Spanish architect Javier Campos. A beautiful building that integrates with the surrounding mountainous landscapes, the cellar uses a unique gravitational system that doesn’t use pumps or excess energy and features solar panels covering the energy requirement of their facilities.
