Why Cap Rocat is a Decanter dream destination...

Cinematic perspectives and palatial service

Lanterns line the entrance to Cap Rocat, pulling you down labyrinthine paths and passageways with cinematic perspective. That's before you even glimpse the cliffside beach club with loungers catered by waiters who deliver glasses of wine between dips in the sea.

Several of the 30 suites and rooms are former surveillance points carved into the rock face, which gives them an incredible atmosphere. Each one boasts three levels of terraces: the bottom offers privacy and the top – where you’ll likely spend most of your time – is a gazebo overlooking the infinite sea where you can watch the sunrise.

Service is as palatial as you'd expect, from morning when breakfast is delivered in a beautiful basket, to evening when a fresh verbena and honey infusion is left steeping by your bed.

Enthralling tasting experiences

Mallorca's wine scene has evolved dramatically in recent years, with small family wineries producing exceptional expressions, especially from native grapes like Manto Negro and Premsal Blanc, locally known as Moll.

While the hotel's coastal location near Cala Blava isn't in the island's winemaking heartland (which consists of the DOs of Binissalem and Pla i Llevant), it's not far either. Lucky for you, the concierge has backstage passes straight to the vineyards, and not for just any wine tasting.

Get carted off in a Range Rover to a countryside winery where paella cooked over wood fire awaits after tastings with the winemaker at Bodega Oliver Moragues, a 500-year-old wine estate.

Or if you fancy air travel, head to Bodega Ribas – one of the island's oldest and most prestigious wineries – for a tasting of wines paired with local products, before being whisked away by helicopter to soar over the dramatic Tramuntana mountains back to Cap Rocat's helipad.

Exquisite cuisine

La Fortaleza is the hotel's principal restaurant, and the bread service alone (black olive, herbed, and citrus flavoured breads cut tableside) sets the tone for an incredible attention to detail.

The tasting menu starts with variat mallorquí, a take on Mallorcan tapas including fried octopus and anchovy with garlic. The sobrasada, made from heritage Porc Negre pigs, arrives drizzled with honey from the hotel's own bees, and you realise this is the rare hotel restaurant that takes local sourcing seriously.

The wine pairing is no different, highlighting bottles from Mallorca, perfect for getting context on the island's evolving wine scene. Don’t miss the chance to order a bottle from star winemaker Miquel Gelabert, who cultivates 35 different varieties, many native.

Cap Rocat offers a full menu of experiences befitting a bucket-list hotel, so whether your idea of fun is watching the sunset from a vintage luxury car or visiting a blown-glass factory from the 18th century, there's plenty to do.

Spa and gym

Not all is indulgence; a vibey gym is set in its own cave, and the tennis court has an instructor add-on. The spa is luminous and magical, with a saltwater pool sunk 12 metres into the ground.

Cap Rocat is adults-only and closes mid-November to mid-March. For further details, see the hotel's website.

Related articles

The largest of the five main Balearic islands, Mallorca has a reputation as a tourist hotspot for beach-loving sun seekers, but in fact most of the island north and east of its capital Palma is quite tranquil and bucolic, with charming, uncrowded rural landscapes, hamlets and villages. Take the scenic journey on the narrow-gauge railway from Palma to Port de Sóller to explore the Tramuntana mountain ridge, where you can go climbing or hiking, or cycle between wineries across the plain of Es Pla, with its low stone walls and peach and almond orchards.

The arts of viticulture and winemaking on the island go back at least to the Romans, but at the end of the 19th century the vineyards were devastated by phylloxera. Many of them were dug up, and viticulture didn’t really recover until late in the 20th century, when tourist demand for local wines led to the creation of the DOs of Binissalem (1991) on the edge of the Tramuntana, and Pla i Llevant (2001).

This has led to Mallorca having a surprising number of small wineries, now estimated at close to 100, developed by professionals and enthusiasts alike and geared towards quality wines and wine tourism. Palma de Mallorca is a convenient base, as it is easy to get to by plane or ferry – the latter from either Barcelona or Valencia, and a good option if you are already in mainland Spain and travelling by car. Over the past few years, the picturesque old town of Palma has been sensitively restored, so there is plenty to see and do (and taste!). From here, you can rent a car to get around the island. Nothing is too far away, and there are also regular buses and trains to main destinations (Binissalem, Pollença, Manacor or Sóller).

Fact file

Planted area 1,532ha

Main soil types Calcareous limestone, clay and sand

Appellations DO Binissalem, DO Pla i Llevant, Vi de la Terra Mallorca, Vi de la Terra Serra de Tramuntana-Costa Nord

Annual production 52,545hl

Main grapes White Prensal Blanc, Moscatel, Chardonnay, Viognier Red Callet, Manto Negro, Gorgollassa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot

Located in the centre of Manacor on the east side of the island, family-run Vins Miquel Gelabert was founded in 1985, when winemaking in Mallorca was just beginning its recovery. Ex-chef Miquel Gelabert is affectionately known as ‘the madman of Manacor’ due to the sheer number (up to 27) of individual wines that he produces annually, along with his oenologist son. They cultivate more than 30 native and international grape varieties (some in experimentation), spread over 10.5ha of vines in 18 plots in and around Manacor. Not to be missed classics are Gran Vinya Son Caules and Sa Vall Selecció Privada, both DO Pla i Llevant, which you can try by booking a visit and tasting.

Half an hour’s drive from Palma, in Algaída, central Mallorca, you’ll find Can Majoral, founded in 1979 by Andreu Oliver, who is now assisted by his daughter Mireia and their cousin Andreu, also winemakers. In 1994, Can Majoral became the first producer in Mallorca, and second in Spain, to achieve organic certification. Oliver and his team have added a range of native grapes – including Callet, Giró Ros, Gorgollassa and Manto Negro – to the original international varieties to create characterful quality wines under the Pla i Llevant DO.

The estate’s 19ha now produce some 70,000 bottles in two ranges: Can Majoral and ButiBalausí (young wines). They maintain the tradition of a full-moon harvest, with 400-500 mostly local volunteers working until midnight, finishing with a meal in the vineyard. Tastings for up to 25 people are offered by appointment.

Call Francesc Grimalt a weirdo if you will, he doesn’t mind at all. In fact, the winemaker at 4 Kilos Vinícola prides himself on going his own way. One of the founders of Anima Negra in the southeast of the island, with nearly 30 years in the industry, Grimalt joined forces with Sergio Caballero in 2006 to embark on an organic approach to winemaking, creating mini-ecosystems with indigenous grapes and plants working in harmony. Their two signature brands – 4 Kilos and 12 Volts, both under the Vi de la Terra Mallorca designation – produce light, aromatic, terroir-driven wines that have been making a name for themselves both locally and abroad. For an informal straight-from-the-barrel winery experience in a converted sheep barn at their bodega, just outside Felanitx, book a tasting via the email address on the 4 Kilos website.

The first thing to catch your eye as you enter the village of Biniali, just south of Binissalem in the heart of Mallorca, is the striking modern structure that houses the Binigrau winery. In 2005, brothers Matías, Miquel and Sebastián Batle Pastor, having sold the family-run Bodegas Macià Batle in 2003, combined their talents to create a new project that reflected their love and respect for the land where they grew up. Here tradition meets evolution, with 55ha of old and new vines, along with modern technology, producing quality Vi de la Terra Mallorca wines that express the essence of terroir and respect age-old harvesting methods. Native grapes include Callet, Manto Negro and Prensal. Tours are available by appointment and include a tasting of four or five wines with snacks.

Finally, during your stay on Mallorca, keep an eye out for wines from two more standout bodegas that are working wonders with indigenous Callet and Manto Negro old vines. At Anima Negra philosopher-winemakers Pere Obrador and Miquel Angel Cedà are creating expressive Callet whites, designated as Vi de la Terra Mallorca, from their small bodega in Felanitx. Meanwhile, young fifth-generation oenologist Tomeu Llabrés at Ca’n Verdura near Binissalem works his magic with Manto Negro grapes from vines recovered from his grandfather’s estate, producing both DO Binissalem and Vi de la Terra Mallorca wines. Although these humble winery installations preclude visits, you can find both producers’ wines at select shops and restaurants throughout the island, and private delivery can also be arranged via their websites. Worth seeking out.

My perfect day in Mallorca

Morning

After breakfast at Mercat de Olivar in Palma head out to Bodega Biniagual (DO Binisallem), just 40 minutes away in the charming hamlet of the same name with its 14 houses, chapel and historic winery. When the Graf family bought the property in 1968 its 170 hectares were mostly orchards and gardens, but in 1998 they began planting grapes, including native Manto Negro and Prensal, and now have 34 hectares of vines. The family still consider it a boutique winery as everybody is personally involved in every stage of the production and, although not officially ecological, they practice low intervention and control pests by interplanting. Visits and tastings are available by appointment but you can drop into the Vinoteca (which also serves lunch) anytime to enjoy a glass of wine.The shop also sells their own olive oil and marmalades.

Lunch

Head north to Inca (visit the market if it’s a Thursday) and then turn west towards the almost impossibly pretty town of Selva to have lunch at Restaurante Miceli .Enjoy splendid views from the terrace of this 19th Century Mallorcan house where chef Marga Coll was born and raised.

Afternoon

If there is time stop in at the Lluc Sanctuary on the way to Vinyes Mortitx . Founded in 2001, the 17 hectares of vineyards on the slopes of the Tramuntana are the highest in Mallorca at around 400 metres, and catch the strong northerly sea breezes (embat). The purpose built winery lies below in the valley. Winemaker Llorenç Coll oversees the production of around 90,000 bottles of a selection of 8-10 wines (Vi de la Terra Mallorca), including native and international grape blends and a sweet Riesling/Muscat ice wine. Tours are available in English, and include a glass-in-hand walk around the bodega and vineyard as well as tastings.

Evening & overnight

Arrive in Pallença late afternoon and get settled into decadent 5 star comfort at Son Brull Rural Sanctuary , a boutique hotel in a former 18th century monastery in the foothills of the Tramuntana. While it’s tempting to stay in and have dinner at the excellent inhouse restaurant, soak up some local atmosphere instead by going for an evening stroll and a enjoying delicious traditional tapas and excellent local wines at Sa Fonda. A perfect ending to the day.

Mallorca travel guide: accommodation

Finca Serena

Luxury five-star hotel on a 40ha estate hidden away in Montuïri in the centre of Mallorca, with its own gardens and orchards. The spectacular Jacaranda restaurant has a daily menu and long list of local and international wines.

Hotel Cort

This urban boutique hotel in Plaça de Cort, the heart of Palma old town, faces Palma’s handsome 17th- century town hall and the city’s emblematic ancient olive tree. Has 14 suites and two double rooms.

Hotel Sant Francesc

A five-star hotel in a 19th-century mansion in Palma old town, with 32 rooms and 10 suites, decorated with original contemporary art and photography. Has a restaurant and a rooftop terrace with a pool.

Mallorca travel guide: restaurants to visit

Andana

In the very centre of Palma. Michelin-star chef Macarena de Castro offers local Mallorcan cuisine from her own gardens with a dining room, terrace and bar.

Aromata

Owned and run by Michelin-star chef Andreu Genestra. Traditional island ingredients served in a 17th-century courtyard in Palma. Fine-dining set lunches and an à la carte evening menu.

Ses Oliveres

Second-generation traditional family restaurant overlooking the harbour of Port de Sóller, specialising in seafood and local wines (ask for Bruno).

Restaurante Miceli

Found in the pretty town of Selva. Enjoy splendid views from the terrace of this 19th-century Mallorcan house where chef Marga Coll was born and raised.

La Fonda

Soak up the local atmosphere by going for an evening stroll and enjoying delicious traditional tapas and excellent local wines at La Fonda.

Getting there

There are frequent flights from various destinations in Europe to Palma de Mallorca. A rented car is best for visiting the vineyards, but there are regular buses or trains from Palma to many inland destinations.

More travel inspiration: 

Plan a Rioja cycling tour

Four great European wine weekends

Where to eat in Spain: Region by region

Surreal is a word you sometimes see used to describe the vineyards of the Canary Islands. And it’s true there’s something uncanny, almost nightmarish about, say, a vineyard trained with the traditional cordon trenzado method in El Valle de la Orotava on the archipelago’s largest island of Tenerife.

Arranged horizontally just inches above the ground, the gnarled, plaited vines, many of them well over a century old, some as much as 200 years old, seem to slither around the vineyards like entwined wooden snakes, stretching as far as 15m from the mother trunk – a sight made all the more eerie when shrouded in the mist that is such a frequent feature of this sub-tropical climate.

No less peculiar, surprising and dreamlike are the vineyards of Lanzarote, which call to mind some imagined post-apocalyptic experiment to make wine on the moon. Here the vines are dug into the thick layer of pícon volcanic ash that covers the island, each bush vine protected from the winds that blow in off the Atlantic by being planted in pits (hoyos) surrounded by low semi-circular stone walls (abrigos or overcoats).

So yes, surreal, but very far from irrational. The vineyards look like they do because they’ve been adapted to the very specific challenges of their surroundings by generations of ingenious wine growers. That their radical difference comes as a shock to those of us weaned on the conventions of modern mainland European viticulture is largely due to the fact that the Canary Islands have been away from the vinous mainstream for so long.

That’s not surprising. Strictly – geographically – speaking, the seven islands that collectively form Europe’s most southerly wine region are part of Africa: clustered, at 28° latitude, on the southern border of the Northern Hemisphere’s traditional band of winemaking possibility, with the southwestern Moroccan Atlantic coast just 96km from the southeastern coast of Fuerteventura. Culturally and politically, however, this is Spain of course, and has been since the islands were colonised and settled in the late 15th century.

Canaries and Balearics Literary past

With the Spaniards and Portuguese (who gave up their claim on the Canaries in exchange for the Spanish leaving Madeira, the Azores and Cape Verde to them) came the vine, and the islands’ first brush with vinous fame. Canary Island wines, thanks in no small part to the islands’ ideal position on transatlantic trade routes, were much coveted in Elizabethan England. References to ‘canary sack’ abound in Shakespeare plays – from ‘a cup of canary’ in Twelfth Night to the ‘marvelous searching wine’ that ‘perfumes the blood’ in Henry IV Part II. Later, Thomas Jefferson is said to have asked for a Canary Island wine to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

By the 20th century, however, Canary Island wines had dwindled into a largely parochial concern. It’s striking that, in the most recent edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine, the brief entry on the Canary Islands (written by respected Spanish wine expert Victor de la Serna) describes how ‘mediocre wines for the tourist trade are being replaced by much more interesting products’.

Holidaymakers aside, for most wine drinkers outside the islands, even those ‘mediocre’ wines were a mystery. It’s really only in the past decade that the Canary Islands have begun to make any sort of mark on the modern international wine scene. But it’s the islands’ very isolation that has made that renaissance possible – and so exciting.

It was the archipelago’s remote geographical position, after all, that meant the Canaries avoided the phylloxera plague that swept through Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century. That in turn meant there was no need to apply the cure: rather than replacing vineyards ravaged by the louse with plants grafted on to American rootstocks, Canary Islanders have been able to keep vines on their own rootstocks (pie franco).

The absence of phylloxera also accounts for the remarkable age of many Canary Island vines, and for the islands’ defiantly eccentric portfolio of grape varieties.

Local variety

On the white side, Malvasia was historically considered the most important, the ingredient of the sweet sack that made the archipelago’s name (although recent evidence suggests the wines may well have been blends). It is still widely planted, notably on both La Palma and Lanzarote, producing both dry wines in an array of styles and quality, and sweet wines that reference the old days (and occasionally hit a tangy-lusicious sweet spot). Malvasia is joined by Listán Blanco (the local name for sherry country’s Palomino Fino), and Vijariego Blanco (once common in Andalucia, now confined to the Canaries, and to Tenerife and El Hierro in particular); as well as Marmajuelo and Gual (the local name for Madeira’s Bual) among others.

For reds, another Madeiran favourite, Tinta Negra Mole (known in the Canaries as Negramoll), the Portuguese variety Alfrocheiro and Jura’s Trousseau (going by the local synonyms Baboso Negro and Tintilla, respectively) are joined by Vijariego Negro (Catalonia’s Sumoll) and the solo star or main player in many of the Canaries’ most critically acclaimed reds: Listán Negro.

With Canary Island wines it’s not so much the grape varieties themselves as the way they interact with the archipelago’s unique conditions that, literally, gets the mouth watering. Broadly speaking, the climate is sub-tropical, with the fierce heat of Saharan Africa moderated by the cooling effects of Atlantic trade winds, leading to warm summers and mild winters.

However, there are many different microclimates on each island. On the largest island of Tenerife alone you can find enormous variations defined by the varying altitudes and expositions on the slopes of El Teide, an active volcano that, at 3,718m above sea level, is Spain’s highest peak. These differences are reflected in Tenerife’s five DOs (from the dry, southern Abona, with plantings touching 1,500m above sea level, the highest in Europe, to the more humid Ycoden-Daute-Isora, on the island’s northwest side).

There is corresponding variety in the wine style, too, although at this stage in the Canary Islands’ evolution it isn’t always easy to say how much is down to terroir and how much to individual winemaking philosophies. In general, however, Canary Island wines are categorised by a wildness of flavour that shouldn’t be confused with rusticity: a mix of electric acidity and saltiness, and a lightness of alcohol that makes them very refreshing, and very of the moment.

While they’re entirely their own thing, as a frame of reference, the reds often have something of Etna’s Nerello Mascalese about them: a kind of Pinot Noir-like grace and red-fruited suppleness charged with peppery spice, earth and iron-like minerals. Meanwhile in their mix of intensity, tang and zip, the white wines are how I imagine unfortified Madeira would taste. Not everything – not nearly enough, in fact – reaches the UK. But these deliciously idiosyncratic wines are worth getting to know when you find them.

Balearic beat

If the Canary Islands’ modern-traditional wines are a true expression of volcanic, Atlantic terroir, then Spain’s other great renaissance island wines, from the Balearics, are all about the flavours and charms of the Mediterranean.

When we say Balearics – and certainly when we’re talking about wines available in the UK and US – we really mean one island. Although there is a small but growing and increasingly interesting scene on Menorca, and a sprinkling of ventures on Ibiza and Formentera, the heart of the action in the archipelago that begins 96km east of Spain, is in Mallorca. With around 2,500ha of vineyards it is home to the Balearic Islands’ two officially recognised DOs, Binissalem and Pla i Llevant, as well as two regional wine designations and some 70 producers.

Wine arrived in Mallorca with the Romans, but like the Canary Islands, it was as a producer of Malvasia sack in the 16th century that it first came to fame. Unlike the Canaries, however, the vineyards of Mallorca fell victim to phylloxera, which came to the Balearics in 1891, and which, by the time it finished its work, had destroyed the local wine industry.

The recovery was slow to come. Farmers quit the wine business in favour of other forms of agriculture (almond trees being a particularly popular choice), and where vines were replanted, often with a co-planted, intermingling mix of varieties both red and white, it was strictly for local consumption. By the 1980s, however, a handful of growers had started taking production more seriously, sprucing up cellars with modern equipment and planting vines. And by 1990, Binissalem, in the centre of the island, had become Spain’s first island wine DO. Now interest in Mallorcan wine became more than a mere tourist-inspired curiosity.

As with so many other (re-)developing Spanish – and, indeed, southern European – wine regions, international grape varieties played a major role in the late 20th-century expansion of the Mallorcan vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are all found in varying quantities around the island, as well as Tempranillo, known by its Catalan synonym (islanders speak a dialect of Catalan) Ull de Llebre, Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre) and the Cava grapes Macabeu and Parellada. But it is the local grape varieties – vinified separately or as part of a blend – that produce the most distinctive wines.

For reds, there are three that stand out: Manto Negro, which on its own produces a light, juicy, succulent style for relatively early drinking; Fogoneu, with its distinctive freshness and low pH; and Callet, a dark-skinned grape with an intriguing spiciness. For whites, the dominant – most widely planted – local is Moll, or Prensal Blanc, which on its own produces Verdicchio-esque wines of crisp briskness with an almondy twist, and which has the natural acidity to serve as a base for some of the island’s Cava-like sparkling wines.

Most wineries are still using those native grapes in blends that include both local and international varieties. But, as with the wines of the Canaries, it’s the island climate rather than the varieties per se that makes Mallorcan wines such an engaging proposition. The influence of the sea, with a consistent sea breeze that reaches far inland, has a distinctly moderating, cooling effect. The wines are consequently much lighter than their mainland Mediterranean peers – the Bordeaux varieties do very well here, with little in the way of excess jamminess – with a distinctive twist of salt-edged freshness that gives life and drinkability from everything to fish-partnering blanc de noir whites to the meatiest of red blends.

The Canaries and Balearics Wines

Vila Vins, Ibiza based wine store, will be offering DWWA 2017 winning wines at a discount in November

Located in Ibiza’s city centre and stocking over 3000 different wine, cava and Champagne labels, Vila Vins is one of the island’s leading retail outlets and distributors of wine.

Froms 1st until the 31st of November Vila Vins will be offering customers a 15% discount off in DWWA 2017 winners, every Friday and Saturday from 17.00 – 21.00pm.

The DWWA 2017 winning wines on offer are:

• Torres, Perpetual, Priorat, Mainland Spain, Spain 2014
• Marqués de Riscal, Baron de Chirel, Rioja Reserva, Mainland Spain, Spain 2012
• Chateau d’Esclans, Rock Angel, Côtes de Provence, Provence, France 2016
• Gonzalez Byass, Apóstoles V.O.R.S, Palo Cortado, Sherry, Spain NV
• Ramón Bilbao, Verdejo, Rueda, Mainland Spain, Spain 2016
• Domaine Louis Moreau, Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru, Burgundy, France 2014

See all 2017 Decanter World Wine Award wines

Promotion period: 1–31 November 2017, Fridays and Saturdays

Address: Diputat Josep Ribas 5, 07800 Ibiza

Website: www.vilavins.com

There's more to Mallorca than cheap holiday resorts if you head inland, where an enticing array of wine and food destinations await. Sue Style takes us on a tour of the island’s best-kept secrets in her Mallorca travel guide.

Mallorca travel guide

Planted area 1,274ha

Main grapes, White: Prensal Blanc, Moscatel, Chardonnay, Viognier Red: Manto Negro, Callet, Gorgollassa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot

Apellations Vi de la Terra Mallorca, Vi de la terra Serra de Tramuntana- Costa Nord, DO Binissalem, DO Pla i Llevant

Annual production 48,748 hectolitres in 2013

Main soil types Calcareous limestone, clay and sand

Quick links:

• My perfect day in the Sierra Tramuntana

• Mallorca: Where to stay, eat, shop and relax

There was a time when Mallorca was described as ‘a hidden gem’ or ‘a well-kept secret’. Today, the prevailing image is of mass tourism, high-rise concrete blocks and hordes of northern Europeans flushed pink in the midday sun, faithful to their full English breakfasts or their bratwurst. The island’s resident population hovers at around 870,000, but each year a tsunami-like wave of six million tourists washes up on its shores.

• More Decanter travel guide to Spain

The philosopher and activist Satish Kumar, who spends much time there, has gently suggested that Mallorca needs fewer tourists and more ‘earth pilgrims’. A tourist, by Kumar’s definition, consumes; a pilgrim discovers, values and respects.

Consumer-type tourism is probably here to stay, but it’s confined mainly to the beaches. Meanwhile, those of the pilgrim persuasion – wine travellers among them – are quietly discovering that this diminutive smudge of land moored out in the Mediterranean somewhere south of Barcelona still has hidden gems and secret corners.

Barely an hour from Palma – the entry point for most visitors, where it’s worth spending at least a couple of nights – lies a hushed world of dusty, golden stone villages, silvery olive groves, almond and apricot orchards bounded by dry stone walls and carpeted with wild flowers, medieval monasteries and churches, converted windmills and superior hideaway hotels. In the distance, rearing up like jagged vertebrae from southwest to northeast are the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. At their feet and sprawling southwards into the plain are the vineyards.

Seek out the wine

Until a decade ago, few people would have considered seeking out Mallorcan wines while holidaying here, far less visiting wineries to get to know the distinctive fruits of these particular vines and the people working them. But as high-end tourism has developed, high-quality winemaking has followed in its wake. James Hiscock, owner of two super-stylish country retreats deep in the Serra de Tramuntana and long-time resident of the island, talks of ‘a significant evolution of producers, varieties and wines over the past 10 years’ and is delighted that he can now offer his guests a range of excellent local wines.

You can embark on a winery tour almost anywhere – a plus point is that distances are small and most bodegas are within spitting distance of one another. A good start would be Bodegues Ribas in Consell, a grand old estate, the oldest on the island, established in 1711 and still owned and run by the Ribas family. They have made a point of nurturing their indigenous vines, including 60-year-old Prensal and Manto Negro rootstocks, and have rescued the almost extinct (and near-unpronounceable) Gorgollasa. Try the fragrant house white based on Prensal and a little Viognier, or Ribas negre (red) where the lightly pigmented Manto Negro contributes its velvety, red fruit aromas to an elegant blend stiffened by Syrah and Merlot.

Close by in Santa María del Camí is Macià Batle, a large commercial winery on the main street, recognisable by the Wine Express train, which – unless on its rounds of the vineyards – will be parked outside the door. Join a happy throng of tasters in the shop or out in the courtyard quaffing the house blanc (Prensal, Chardonnay and a little Moscatel), or one of the oak-aged reds that combine Manto Negro with Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot.

Also in Santa María is Bodega Ramanyà, a boutique winery about a tenth of Macià Batle’s size with just 10ha and established only in 2003. Here self-effacing, self-taught Toni Ramanyà makes four wines, including – unusually for Mallorca – two cavas, both based on Manto Negro, one pink and the other a blanc de noirs. A visit here takes in Ramanyá’s collection of rural artefacts, including a perfectly restored, bone-shaking 19th-century horse-drawn carriage, of the kind described by George Sand in her dyspeptic memoir Winter in Majorca.

A touch north of Santa María, on the scenic road from Alaró to Lloseta with the twin peaks of Alaró in the background, is Castell Miquel, a bijou castle built in the 1960s for a sister-in-law of Franco. Now German-owned, the estate’s terraces and dry stone walls have been meticulously restored and planted with international varieties. There’s a modest charge for tastings, deducted from your purchases, which would do well to include the supple Shiraz Stairway to Heaven, named after the steep ‘staircase’ of vineyards above and below the castle.

Another day, another landscape. ‘So much variety in such a small space,’ marvels José Antonio de Haro, purveyor of wines to many of the island’s top hostelries and my guide for the day in the flatlands south of the Palma-Algaida axis, where rugged mountains and gnarled olive trees give way to wide, flat expanses of wheat interspersed with vines.

At Bodegas Can Majoral in Algaida, brothers Biel and Andreu completed their conversion to organics in 2007. They believe in the potential of age-old Mallorcan varieties to produce quality wines, either as single varietals (aromatic Giró Blanc, stylish Gorgollasa) or in blends (low- acid Prensal boosted by Chardonnay and Parellada or rustic Callet with Syrah and Cabernet).

For a parting shot, visit Bodegas Mesquida Mora in Porreres, for a taste of maverick Barbara Mesquida’s lively wines. One of a handful of women winemakers on the island, she recently struck out on her own with 20ha of vines, both local and international varieties. The biodynamic approach shines through, from descriptions of her vines and winemaking through to the result in the bottle. Acrollam (Mallorca, spelt backwards), a Prensal-rich blend with Chardonnay, is a deep golden, mouthfilling white, while Trispol, a dense ruby red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Callet with a label showing a mosaic of decorated floor tiles typical of Mallorca, is firmly grounded in the island.

How to get there

By plane to Palma de Mallorca – there are frequent flights from various airlines from destinations in mainland Europe – then a rented car for visiting the vineyards and remoter parts of the island. There are regular buses from Palma to Inca and other destinations inland.

Next page

There's more to Mallorca than cheap holiday resorts if you head inland, where an enticing array of wine and food destinations await. Sue Style takes us on a tour of the island’s best-kept secrets in her Mallorca travel guide.

Mallorca travel guide: My perfect day in the Sierra Tramuntana

Morning

Start the day with a visit to the brand-new cellar and tasting room at Bodegas Son Prim, just outside Sencelles. Typical of the new generation of highly motivated winemakers, they’re appreciated for their original, value-for-money, Mediterranean-inflected wines (varietal and blended Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah with a little Manto Negro) – check out the characterful, full-bodied Merlot.

Continue north to Inca (with a look in on the market if it’s Thursday), past the pretty, pinkish-gold village of Selva to Caimari, with a brief stop at Oli Caimari to stock up on olive oil. From here ascend, via 19 hairpin bends, to Lluc – beware the cyclists, for whom this is a well-worn route – and try not to be distracted by the jagged limestone cliffs, vertiginous drops and glimpses of circling eagles and vultures. Enjoy a pre-lunch visit to the Lluc monastery, pilgrimage site since the Middle Ages.

Lunch

Book a table at Restaurant Es Guix, buried in the forest close to the monastery, with a dip in the restaurant’s natural pool before settling down to typical Mallorcan fare (rice dishes, suckling pig, kid).

Afternoon

Continue the climb from Lluc and look in on Vinyes Mortitx, the highest vineyard on the island, with 15ha of Malvasia, Riesling, Chardonnay and Moscatel, plus Monastrell, Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot. The estate makes a pretty, blush-pink rosé from Monastrell, Merlot and Cabernet, fine for summer drinking. For the cooler months, its Rodal Pla, a robust but tactfully oaked Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot blend, is a standout.

If time, press on to the coast for a sundowner on the waterfront at Port de Pollensa or Platja de Formentor. Return south from Pollensa to Campanet and through the stunning Campanet valley to the tiny hamlet of Binibona.

Evening & overnight

Check in at Finca Es Castell or Son Ametler, wrap up your perfect day with a swim in the house pool, followed by dinner on the terrace beneath the Sierra Tramuntana, and fall into a deep sleep lulled by the sound of cicadas and sheep bells.

Next page Previous page

There's more to Mallorca than cheap holiday resorts if you head inland, where an enticing array of wine and food destinations await. Sue Style takes us on a tour of the island’s best-kept secrets in her Mallorca travel guide.

Mallorca travel guide: Where to stay, eat, shop and relax

Mallorca hotels

Finca Es Castell & Hotel Son Ametler

Twin havens of peace in the Serra de Tramuntana, owned and run by James and Paula Hiscock, with every comfort and relaxed attention. The only noise is birdsong and the tinny tinkling of sheep bells grazing beneath olive trees. fincaescastell.com; hotelsonametler.com

Cap Rocat, Palma de Mallorca

Classy 25-room hotel in a Moorish-inspired former military fortress dominating a point south of Palma with pools, spa, gourmet restaurant and Sea Club perched above the water. caprocat.com

Reads Hotel, Santa Maria del Camí

Country house hotel with 15 suites and eight rooms set in extensive garden with outdoor and indoor pools and spa. Blues Brasserie does modern Mallorcan food in summer by the pool and in winter in the former oil-press room. readshotel.com

Can Alomar, Palma

Newly opened 16-room boutique hotel in a stylishly restored 19th-century palace in the heart of Palma’s old town. Japanese- Peruvian fusion food in terrace restaurant overlooking the elegant Passeig del Born. boutiquehotelcanalomar.com

Mallorca restaurants

Es Molí d’Es Torrent

German-owned and -run restored windmill in Santa María del Camí with shaded, walled patio and local food taken up a notch. molidestorrent.de

Es Guix

Take a dip in the restaurant’s pool before tucking into typical Mallorcan food (kid, lamb, rice dishes) in simple surroundings, on a mountain road near Lluc monastery. esguix.com

Es 4 Vents

Classic cooking (‘food that reconnects you with your childhood’, say the locals) in Algaida – sopes and frito, chargrilled or braised lamb, kid, fish and shellfish. mytable.com/r47527933/en

Miceli

Fresh, seasonal, locally grounded food served in the dining room of chef Marga Coll’s family home. miceli.es

Santi Taura

Santi Taura’s diminutive restaurant in Lloseta is billed as the best on the island – plan ahead, as weekend tables are booked up months in advance. Tasting menu (€33 without wine), culinary fireworks guaranteed. restaurantsantitaura.com

13% (Trece Por Ciento)

Catch up on top Mallorcan (and other) wines at this shoebox-sized wine and tapas bar in Palma’s old town. 13porciento.com

Mallorca resturants shops & sights

Cellers Artesans d’ Europa

Wide selection of Mallorcan (and other) wines, many of which can be shipped overseas. Email: cellersartesans@gmail.com; Tel: +34 61 725 1820

Wine Express

Daily tours through the vineyards of Santa María del Camí by train, starting at Macía Batle. mallorcawinetours.com/

Oli Caimari, Caimari

Extra-virgin olive oils, vinegars, dried fruits. aceites-olicaimari.com

Thursday market, Inca

Stock up on small, intensely flavoured ramallet tomatoes, green almonds, fresh apricots and figs – and leather goods.

Santuario de Lluc

Monastery and basilica of Lluc, which houses the shrine of La Moreneta, the Virgin of Lluc and patron saint of Mallorca, and a magnet for pilgrims since the 13th century. lluc.net

Previous page

Visitors to Palma are able to try Decanter World Wine Award wines at Wineing La Tapa Del Vino for one month this October.

Address: C/ Apuntadores, Nº 24, 07012 – Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares

www.wineing.es

The selection of award-winning wines available are:

• Celler el Masroig, Etnic, Monstant 2008 Spain – Gold
• Marcia Batle, Reserva Privada, Binissalem 2008 Spain – Bronze
• Teso La Monja, Almirez, Toro 2009 Spain – Commended
• Teso La Monja, Romanico, Toro 2009 Spain – Bronze
• Teso La Monja, Victorino, Toro 2009 Spain – Bronze
• Teso La Monja, Alabaster, Toro 2009 Spain – Bronze
• Bodegas Martue, Syrah, Campo de la Guardia 2008 Spain – Gold
• Son Prim, Syrah, Mallorca 2009 Spain – Commended

Written by