Don Germán - A Legendary Figure in Lanzarote Wine. Part 2/3
Bodega Rubícon: A historical landmark with a lucky name!
Bodega Rubicon is the oldest winery of the world famous La Geria wine region. The land, building and close-by chapel are the remains of the country house that gave the La Geria region its name. The estate fell victim to Lanzarote’s worst period of volcanic eruptions, leaving it completely covered in volcanic ash. Luckily, they were able to dig up parts of the premises and the chapel itself, which to this day remains in its original state. It is said that, in 1735, the famous pit cultivation of La Geria first began. Thanks to this, it’s home to some of the oldest vines in la Geria.
The Bodega as we know it today began in 1979, in the hands of Don Germán López, who restored it with modern facilities, while conserving its heritage. Don Germán bought it to pursue his winemaking passion but kept it closed and private for get togethers in the early years. Nevertheless, the winery deserved a name, but Germán underestimated how important his choice would be. It wasn't until 2009 after extensive refurbishment that the bodega finally opened its doors as a commercial winery.
Don Germán enjoyed and often went with his brothers to the San Ginés boat races, one of the most important of the Canaries at the time. Boats would arrive from all the Canary Islands, and their favourite boat, from Lanzarote of course, was named Rubicón, so he and his brothers named the winery after it, in the hope that this boat would win. Little did he know how successful that name would become! Rubicon as he later recalled was also the name of the first European settlement to exist in Lanzarote and in the Canaries. It once sat close to the modern day Marina Rubicon in Playa Blanca.
On top of that, there used to be a very important trail, called “El Camino de Rubicon”, that people and their camels used to take all the way from Teguise, the old capital of the island, to San Marcial de Rubicón, in the south. The trail passed through La Geria and in front of where Bodegas Rubicón is today, in order to get water from the San Marcial well, the only place with drinkable water on the island at that point.
Talk about hitting the nail on the head! Not only is the estate itself a landmark of the islands’ history, but so is the name!
Nowadays the winery produces some of the most popular and recognisable wines of the Island. Amalia, a 100% lees aged Malvasia Volcanica, named after Don German's granddaughter is among them, and along with the rosé is one we now stock on Wine Shop Lanzarote for sale in the UK and ROI.
