Island Wine Time
Epicure Magazine|April - May 2021
Vineyards are returning to the pleasure island of Mallorca in a serious way, thanks to new players like Bodega Son Mayol where technical director Marie Barbé oversees a modern Bordeaux-styled estate.
June Lee
Island Wine Time

Bordeaux native Marie Barbé grew up surrounded by wines, so much so that she chose to immerse herself in oenology studies in Bordeaux, graduating in 2002. Yet her career path was never a mainstream one; her wine projects have led her to New World (Chile) and even New Latitude regions such as Russia and India. Since 2016, the self-described epicurean and dreamer has found her favourite city to live in (so far): Palma de Mallorca, the island capital where she is 15 minutes away from her current role as technical director of Bodega Son Mayol.

With just 70 producers on the island, it’s a rare thing to find Mallorca wine outside of Spain, so it is testimony to Bodega Son Mayol’s reputation and no-expense-spared start that it has already been picked up for distribution in Singapore by Bottles & Bottles. Barbé sheds more insights into how the estate has achieved so much since it started in 2008.

THE ROOTS OF THE STORY

With its enviable location in the Mediterranean trade route, Mallorca has thrived under centuries of rule by Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, and finally the Kingdom of Aragon, under which it became part of the Catalan empire. Wines flourished up till the 1890s, when the phylloxera louse killed off most of the 30,000 hectares of vines on the island. It was only as recent as the 1990s that a resurgent interest in quality winemaking started bringing up the number of vineyards again, to over 2,500 hectares. That still represents less than 1% of the farming land available, and a far cry from its boom over a 100 years ago.

This story is from the April - May 2021 edition of Epicure Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April - May 2021 edition of Epicure Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM EPICURE MAGAZINEView All
Raising The Bar (And Beyond)
Epicure Singapore

Raising The Bar (And Beyond)

Precision Japanese techniques and revolutionary cocktail techniques by well established mixologists are employed to create the finest drinks for their guests.

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024
Secrets of the Orchards
Epicure Singapore

Secrets of the Orchards

Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton features the finest ingredients sourced from Normandy and other parts of France.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
Passion For Hanwoo
Epicure Singapore

Passion For Hanwoo

Is Korean hanwoo overtaking Japanese wagyu as the best beef in the world? Find out why meat aficionados can't get enough of Korea's star ingredient, and what makes it so good.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
Preserving Quality in A Bottle
Epicure Singapore

Preserving Quality in A Bottle

Master blender Patrick Leger shares about benefits of technology alongside sustainability efforts in the vineyards and distillery today.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
Tokyo's Dining Revival
Epicure Singapore

Tokyo's Dining Revival

From Michelin-starred establishments to casual chic dining, Tokyo never ceases to amaze with its host of food offerings.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
West-bound
Epicure Singapore

West-bound

An ultra-luxe stay topped with sublime gourmet creations and Western Australian wines await at The Ritz-Carlton, Perth.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
Contemplative Experience
Epicure Singapore

Contemplative Experience

Takahashi aims to be an oasis of tranquillity that presents an exceptional fine dining omakase experience in Singapore. Located at 4 Mohamed Sultan Road, this is the first international outpost of Chef Jun Takahashi of Sushi Takahashi in Ginza Tokyo. The restaurant here is helmed by head chef Rinto Sasagawa, Takahashi's dedicated protégé of eight years.

time-read
1 min  |
March 2024
Languorous Sundays at Loloan
Epicure Singapore

Languorous Sundays at Loloan

Captivating ocean views and sublime culinary offerings make brunches at Loloan Beach Bar and Grill a must on the weekends.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
A Taste of History
Epicure Singapore

A Taste of History

Discover the unique flavours of Cambodian cuisine as Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor launches multi-course Khmer tasting menus at 1932, its fine dining establishment

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024
Future Proofing
Epicure Singapore

Future Proofing

Penfolds senior winemaker, Steph Dutton, shares her views on technology sustainability, future proofing in winemaking, and transferring knowledge to the next generation of winemakers..

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024