Not a lot of people know that Lanzarote is not just about tourism and sunshine. If you ever take a trip down to the south of the island just outside of the Timanfay National park you will see a strange landscape. The are is covered in volcanic cinders left ove from the last eruptions over 200 years ago. These cinders are known as picon and are perfect for the agriculture in Lanzarote. Being porous they absorb the night moisture and during the day they stop the sun from evaporating the water. Farmers have generated a method to cultivate vines by scooping out deep pits and building semi circular walls to protect the vines from the wind. Its quite a sight across the landscape.
There are now a number of bodegas in the area and most have opened their doors to the public, some have small museums and information on how the wine is made, gift shops and of course wine tasting. There are some really nice Lanzarote wines, the better known bodegas being El Grifo, Rubicon and Los Bermejos.
You can either take an organised excursion to explore or hire a car to make the most of this region
.