Lanzarote's 2026 harvest set to pass three million kilos of grapes

The 2026 harvest is entering its final stretch on Lanzarote with figures the island has not seen for a few years. The Vinos de Lanzarote Denomination of Origin expects to pass three million kilos of grapes, a notable recovery after two vintages in which production fell short of expectations.

Volume is not the only reason for the positive assessment. The Regulatory Council also points to the excellent sanitary condition of the fruit and the high quality of the campaign as a whole, the result of year-round work by growers and wineries in a vineyard that offers no shortcuts: single vines planted in pits dug into volcanic ash, each sheltered by a dry-stone wall.

Training has been a central part of 2026. The Denomination of Origin ran a full viticulture programme led by technicians Julio Prieto and Emilio Peiró, with hands-on sessions on respectful pruning, efficient irrigation management and pest control. Winemaker Xabier Kamio also led sessions devoted to the Listán Negro grape, including a tasting focused on the range and character of this Canarian variety.

Alongside the technical work, the year's programme aimed to bring visitors closer to the wine landscape. Guided walking routes were organised with the Erupción, Rocanegra and Tao Viticultores wineries, while the Enogastronomic Experience held at the Jardín de Cactus paired four island wines with local cooking. The storytelling series “Érase una vid” returned to island wineries over the summer.

What a strong vintage means if you are visiting

A large harvest does not reach the shelves straight away. Young whites made from Malvasía Volcánica appear over the following months, while reds and barrel-aged wines take longer. Autumn is a practical time to visit cellars around La Geria, Masdache, Tinajo and Uga: fieldwork slows down and staff have more time to explain how the vineyard is managed. One useful tip at the tasting counter is to ask for two different vintages of the same label side by side; nothing shows more clearly how much the weather shapes wine grown on volcanic ash.