Menorca's wine production remains on a steep growth track. Immediately before Christmas the Menorcan Winemakers Association (Asociación de Productors de Vins de Menorca – ViMenorca) and the Consell Insular published a balance of the 2010 vintage, which indicates that the amount of Regional Wine produced under the 'Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca' denomination has doubled over the past five years.
In total, 124,991 kilos of grapes were harvested last autumn, corresponding to an 8.6% increase over 2009 and a 104% growth compared to 2005. The quantity of wine produced from this harvest amounted to 84,610 litres; 33,273 litres white wine, 45,774 litres red and 5,563 litres rose wine. This corresponds to a total production of 112,813 bottles (volume per bottle 0.75 litres), 14.2% more than in 2009. Between 2005 and 2010 the annual production of Menorcan Regional Wine has increased by one hundred per cent.
Further Growth
Menorca's Councillor for Economy and the Environment, Antónia Allés Pons, described the result of the 2010 harvest as being "very positive", claiming it indicated an increase not only in quantity but also in quality.
The President of ViMenorca, Lluís Casals, confirmed that significant progress in terms of quality has been achieved over the last five years, and said he hoped that this trend would continue. This will greatly depend on sales: "If our wines sell well we can raise the bar for quality and improve our production", Casals commented, "to achieve this we need strong support from the distributors and from restaurants which should help to raise the awareness of Menorcan wine". ViMenorca's President stressed that the support of local restaurants in the island will be crucial for the further development of Menorcan Regional Wine. He said its quality should be recognised and promoted locally "without someone first having to come from outside and tell us that our wine is good".
In addition to local sales Menorca's vintners also aim to increase the national and international popularity of their products. In this context the young age of the 'Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca' denomination is a particular challenge: regulations for the use of this label were only established in 2005, and the ViMenorca Association was set up a year later. It aims to promote Menorca's Regional Wine among others through its website – which is also available in English – and through regular expert wine tastings on the island. These tastings compare the standard of Menorcan wine with the products of other regions.
Transportation challenge
A major challenge currently addressed by ViMenorca is air transportation of wine to the Spanish mainland and to other countries. The association is in talks with the airport operator AENA in order to determine options and conditions for air shipment of cases of wine. At present some wineries have to rely on other modes of transportation involving higher costs and longer journeys.
Despite such challenges, the number of winemakers producing under the 'Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca' label has increased significantly. By the end of 2010 there were seven wineries producing a total of nine different products. Another four vintners produce grapes for Menorcan Regional Wine without having their own cellar.
The total surface area certified for the production of local wine amounts to 38 hectares, of which some 34.7 hectares are planted. Most of the wine acreage is concentrated in the east of Menorca: 31% in the Maó district, 25% in Sant Lluís and 19% in Alaior. In total, the surface area certified for Regional Wine acreage has increased by 80% since 2005.