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Son Vives, Banyalbufar
Bodega Son Vives
Cellar Juxta Mare
Crta. Banyalbufar-Estellencs
km 87.5
07191 Banyalbufar
Mallorca
Telephone
+ 34 971 718 065
+ 34 609 601 904
Fax
+ 34 971 718 065
Website Son Vives
Email Son Vives
Owner: Toni Darder Alorda
Enologists: Toni Darder Alorda / Joan Mora
Founded: 2003
Vineyards: 1.5 Hectares in Banyalbufar
Annual production: 15,000 litres
Grape Varieties
Malvasía
Chardonnay
Prensal Blanc
Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Mantonegro
Red Wines
N 2006
Roella 2006
White Wines
Juxta Mare
Juxta Mare Dulce
Fusió de Blancs
Designation of Origin
Vi del la terra Mallorca
Tastings / Visits
At the new Cellar Juxta Mare: from 11.00 to 14.00 and 18.00 until the sun sets. Closed on Monday. The Bodega Son Vives in the old family finca, is located in the centre of Banyalbufar, and also offers tastings (from 6 people on, at 12 €/Person). The Bodega can be used for private parties.
When the Sun Sets
The new wine cellar Juxta Mare in Banyalbufar is found next to the sea, as the Mallorcan name 'Juxta Mare' indicates. Here, on the western coast of Mallorca, wine-grower Toni Darder offers wine tastings with a spectacular view over the ocean. And because this wine estate is open till 10 at night, there is enough time to see the sunset - with a good glass of Malvasía or red wine in hand, and the snacks that Toni offers. Visitors also have the opportunity to try some local products such as Sobrassada, Paté, cheese from Mahón or crackers with tasty Olive Oil from Mallorca.
The Cellar Juxta Mare is part of the Bodega Son Vives, founded in 2003. This 'Bodega' or winery is located in the centre of Banyalbufar in the old family finca which dates from the 17th Century. This Mallorcan wine estate is a really small one: When Son Vives first started, the vines covered only an area of 1.5 hectares of terraced gardens in Banyalbufar - the name 'Banyalbufar' is the arabic word for 'little winegarden by the sea'.
Banyalbufar has a great tradition of growing special white grapes, namely the Malvasía de Banyalbufar. Already at the International Wine Fairs in the middle of the 19th century in Paris and Barcelona, in London and Vienna, the Malvasía from Banyalbufar had been singled out for several awards. The Austrian archduke Ludwig Salvator (1847-1915) mentioned this variety in his famous book 'Die Balearen' as one of the best grapes of the island. But in the end of the 19th century, the devastation caused by the phylloxera virus put an end to the wine production in this village for a long time. Toni Darder was one of the first winemakers of Mallorca who began to again create wines of this famous variety.
Today Toni offers not only white but also red wines. The annual production of his wine estate is around 15,000 litres. The range of his wines includes the white wines Juxta Mare (100 % Malvasía), Fusió de Blancs (a cuvée of Chardonnay, Malvasía and Prensal Blanc) and the sweet wine Juxta Mare Dulce (100 % Malvasía). The red wines are named N 2006 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mantonegro, Syrah) and Roella (Mallorcan word for poppy), a young wine from the same grapes.
'There are two reasons for the decision to also make red wines', the 45 year-old wine-grower says. 'First, I wanted to offer more than only white wine and then there were also economic reasons: The Malvasía wine always ages two months in new oak barrels from France and Central Europe, barrels that can be used afterwards for the red wines.' The Bodega Son Vives is a member of the 'Petits Cellers' or Small Wineries, an association of Mallorcan winemakers who, together, aim to improve the promotion of their wines. They signed for example an agreement with the Associación Agroturismo Balear: The owners of these old nice farm houses in Mallorca will now specially serve their guests wines from the 'Petits'.