Binissalem-Mallorca is a DO (Denominación de Origen) of Mallorca, one of the Balearic Islands off the eastern coast of Spain. It is named after the town of Binissalem, the local hub of winemaking activity, which is located at the center of the island. Binissalem-Mallorca was the Balearic Island's first official DO title, as well as being the very first for a wine region not on the Spanish mainland.
Winegrowing here dates back to approximately 123 BC, when the island became part of the Roman Empire. In the 1st Century AD, the philosopher Pliny the Elder is said to have written about the island's wines, likening them to Italy's finest. Its location on a traditional ocean trading route also shaped its rich wine-making history. In the 19th Century, however, phylloxera infestation swept through the island's vineyards, destroying them and the island's main source of income along with it. The majority of the grape vines were replaced with other crops, including almond trees. Today, the region is experiencing a revival of interest from wine producers, boosted by a thriving tourist industry.
Unsurprisingly, given its location, the climate in Binissalem-Mallorca is definitively Mediterranean, with long hot summers and short mild winters. The Serra de Tramuntana and Serra de Alfabia mountain ranges also contribute to the warm conditions by acting as a barrier to cold winds coming in from the north.
The region sits on a plateau of hills in the so-called highlands, which are just 820–985ft (250–300m) above sea level. The majority of the vineyards here are on gently rolling slopes made up of lime-rich soils, which lock moisture in. This is essential for the grapes during the scorching summers, which are the biggest battle for producers and their vines here. Violent autumnal storms and hail can also be an issue.
These conditions suit the local grape specialty Manto Negro, which produces deeply colored and aromatic wines with velvety tannins. Wines made from this variety respond very well to barrel maturation, and some aged examples have earned considerable respect from wine lovers in Spain and abroad.
Local wine laws dictate that red wines produced in the Binissalem-Mallorca DO must contain at least 50% Manto Negro. Other red varieties grown here include Callet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah, while the white wines are mainly based on Moll, which can produce wines with pale yellow color and intense fruit flavors but is capable of producing rather neutral but pleasantly fresh styles also. Moscatel, Parellada, Macabeo and Chardonnay are the other prominent white-grape varieties. Whites and rosado (rosé) wines are best suited to early consumption, although a small number of barrel-aged examples can now be found.
The lively grape-harvest festival known as Festa des Vermas takes place in Binissalem and the grape battle that takes place is muddy and messy and popular with locals and tourists alike.
