From Ashes to Excellence: Bodegas El Grifo, Lanzarote’s Historic Winery

The story of Lanzarote’s wine is, in many ways, the story of Bodegas El Grifo.  It is impossible to discuss the island’s wines without mentioning this historic winery.

Founded in 1775, shortly after the island’s dramatic 18th-century volcanic eruptions, El Grifo is a living monument to resilience, tradition, and innovation in winemaking.

A Legacy of Women and Family

Let’s begin with a bit of history, shall we? As a woman writing this blog, I am proud to share that El Grifo, a winery in an industry traditionally dominated by men, has been significantly shaped by the contributions of women, unlike many wineries in Europe. 

From the late 1800s, El Grifo was led by Manuela García Parrilla, followed later by Antonia Rodríguez Bethencourt. The winery has remained in the same family for generations. Although it is currently managed by the Otamendi brothers, who are dedicated to preserving its legacy while guiding it toward a sustainable future, the influence of women remains strong. This is evident in their choice of winemaker, Elisa Ludeña, and the technical team that supports her. Additionally, one of their traditional sweet wines, Moscatel de Ana Brito, pays tribute to a woman born at El Grifo in 1880.

A Cultural Connection: César Manrique and El Grifo

Bodegas El Grifo is not only a symbol of Lanzarote wine but is also deeply intertwined with the island's cultural identity. This connection is largely due to its association with the renowned artist and environmentalist César Manrique. In the early 1980s, Manrique advocated for the preservation of the original winery building and the establishment of the Wine Museum, recognising the importance of honoring Lanzarote's rural traditions alongside its natural beauty.

César also designed the label for the Malvasía Semidulce, his favourite wine, as well as the winery's logo and corporate emblem. The emblem features the Griffin, a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.

Tradition Meets Technology: The Evolution of Winemaking at El Grifo

At Bodegas El Grifo, the relationship between tradition and innovation is not a clash but a dialogue across centuries. They continue to preserve barrels of Malvasía Volcánica wine dating back to 1881 and use ancient techniques for producing sweet, fortified wines. However, the winemaking process has evolved significantly over time.

Since 1935, Bodegas El Grifo has been a pioneer in wine bottling in the Canary Islands, being the first to introduce temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and to produce sparkling wine using the traditional method. Today, they have modernized even further by incorporating concrete eggs for the fermentation and aging of wine, alongside AI-based monitoring tools and predictive vineyard data that inform decisions that were once left to chance.

One of their most remarkable initiatives, started in 2022, is the WINTER HARVEST project. This program aims to reverse the natural vegetative cycle of the vine in the Northern Hemisphere by implementing very early pruning, which allows for a harvest in winter or the early days of spring. The winter harvest helps avoid heat waves and preserves the freshness of the grapes.

This blend of old and new is central to El Grifo’s identity: tradition gives soul to the wine while innovation ensures its future.

Leading the Green Transition

El Grifo is currently undergoing a full-scale transition to organic certification. Key features of their sustainable approach include:

- The use of solar and geothermal energy to power their facilities with clean resources.
- Implementing natural pest control methods, such as using sulfur and targeted interventions instead of synthetic chemicals.
- Adopting closed-loop water management systems that capture and recycle rainwater.

As the climate crisis prompts wineries worldwide to adapt, El Grifo stands out as a model of resilience and regenerative agriculture.

Award-winning Wines

At El Grifo, excellence is not just a tradition; it is part of their established reputation. Their wines have consistently received international acclaim, with flagship labels such as Malvasía Volcánica Seco Colección  winning a gold medal at the 2025 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. This wine has been praised for its floral, citrus, and saline notes. The Rosado de Lágrima also earned a gold medal at the Spanish Wine Awards 2025. Additionally, the Moscatel Orange Wine won a gold medal at the Mondial Des Vins Extremes – CEVIM. Tim Atkin MW recently awarded the Limited Edition 250th Anniversary Malvasía Volcánica Lías 2018 a score of 94 points in his Canary Islands Report. All of these exceptional wines, and more, are available in our El Grifo shop.

Thanks for reading, 

Alessandra