Balearic Islands

Balearic Islands (Las Islas Baleares), an archipelago near the Eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula (about 95 km), forming one of the 17 Autonomous communities of Spain (Spanish regions). The nearest neighbours are the regions of Valencia and Murcia (in the West), Catalonia (in the North).

The largest Islands of the archipelago are Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera – a textbook rave centers of the Mediterranean.

Although the wine on these Islands produce from the time of Romans (the vine was brought here approximately 121 G. D. E.), the local wine industry is still developing.

On the Islands was two appellation DO:

• Binissalem-Mallorca (Binissalem-Mallorca)
• Pla i Llevant (PLA and Levan)

Both are located on the island of Mallorca. And the first of them was not only the first DO of the Balearic Islands, but in General the first DO Spanish outside the Iberian Peninsula.

For the rest of the Islands are scattered some areas of class Vino de la Tierra:

• Formentera VT
• Ibiza VT
• Illes Balears VT
• Isla de Menorca VT
• Mallorca VT
• Serra de Tramuntana-Costa Nord VT

When the Balearic Islands gained fame due to sweet wines Malmsey from the Malvasia varieties, demand in England, the Netherlands and Germany. But this type of wine has almost disappeared in the 19th century during the invasion of phylloxera that devastated the vineyards of the island. Of the local varieties have since been unable to recover. But such as autochthonous Manto Negro (Manto Negro), callets (Callet), Fogoneu and mol (Moll aka Prensal Blanc) are used to this day.

Their complement included in the fashion of the French, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. These recognized varieties, plus the popular Spanish Tempranillo, expanded the market for Balearic wines. Today, most of them produced in a fresh flavorful style, calculated on consumption at a young age.

In addition to the wine produced on the Islands liqueurs and a number of other alcoholic beverages, including absinthe and gin. There is a brewery, serving a steady demand from tourists.