Horses, Wine and Cycling is a way of life for Dan and Emelie Marsh.
The Ses Rotes estate is set in 100 acres of land in the Tramuntana Mountains on the edge of Esporles and was originally the smaller house on the Canet Estate. Extending along the Esporles valley, it dates back over 250 years. The fertile soil of the land around Ses Rotes was used as allotments for the inhabitants of Esporles to grow their own vegetables. Since the mid 1900’s, with an extensive breeding program of Spanish horses, there has always been more horses than people enjoying the land & living at Ses Rotes.
In the late 1960’s, the Ses Rotes Estate came alive as a venue for parties on a Friday & Saturday evening. With a huge restaurant, a disco and riding arena, it was the perfect setting to enjoy a typical “Fiesta Andaluza” in the countryside. On a night, you would regularly see up to 500 people, a mix of locals and tourists, enjoying the Horse Show, feasting on meat cooked on the Asado and dancing into the early hours of the morning. As the tourism in Mallorca evolved, so did Ses Rotes. The horses remained, but the parties became more private and it was known as one of the best venues on the island for large celebrations.
In 2017 Dan & Emelie Marsh purchased the estate and quickly got to work on an extensive restoration plan. An amphitheatre of mountains surrounds the house, the vineyard and equestrian centre. The private estate is now the home to 6 hectares of vines and a carefully created winery. They breed & train sports horses and with 10 stables available for fully serviced livery. Annual membership of the winery is also available and ideal for people on the island that have holiday houses or live here full time.
I recently caught up with Emelie & Dan Marsh while they were bottling their 2021 harvest. On arrival, I was instantly struck by the jovial atmosphere in the bodega and asked Dan if all these people worked on the farm….
“No… most of the people here are members of the Ses Rotes Wine Community. Last year we had 75 members and we expect a fair few more in 2022. It is free to join when you purchase an introductory members pack of wine. As a member, you are invited to members only social events and you are also able to get involved & learn about the wine making process – both on the fields & in the winery. Whether it is the Wine Harvest or Bottling or Pruning…. all activities tend to be followed by a few glasses of wine.”
This year’s benefits have evolved from last year. We have 4 big events planned…
- Showjumping & Paella in April
- Summer Festival in June
- Blessing of the Wine in September
- Christmas Market in December
What grape varieties have you planted?
“We have 5 different varieties of grapes over 6 hectares. Our Pinot Noir is at the top of the estate. The Sauvignon Blanc, Callet & Syrah on the flatter land by the drive. We have a small amount of Garnacha on the terraces.”
So what blends do you make?
“This year we will have a young red wine that it is predominantly Callet, a local grape. We have a fresh crisp Sauvignon Blanc white and two types of Rosé. The first rosé is a blend of Callet & Pinot Noir in a standard size bottle and then we have a magnum bottle of Callet that is for members only. We also have an Orange wine from 2020 harvest that is made from our Sauvignon Blanc grapes.”
Which is your favourite?
“It is a bit horses for courses, if you pardon the pun!
We have tried to make wine that we enjoy. We love the fresher Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, the Rose has the colour of a wine from Provence with a bit more flavour and the Red is designed for easy drinking during the warmer summer months. The Orange wine is great for those that are new to this style of wine and goes well with a paella in the summer. We also have Syrah from 2021 harvest that is resting in French oak barrels.”
Where can you buy the wine?
Over the last 12 months we have been selling our wines in some of the restaurants & hotels that we love. In Hotel Portixol & Esplendido and in Es Taller in Valldemossa, Nama in Deia and Dukes in Santa Catalina. We also sell in Sa Portassa in Alaro, on Falcao Uno and at Palma Tennis Club. This coming year we are hoping to be in about 30 restaurants and hotels across the island.
Wine aside, I was keen to find out more about the horse side of the business..
How many horses do you have here?
“We have about 20 of our own horses and about 10 that are other peoples. We have indoor & outdoor arenas, a horse walker, paddocks & stables that can cater for a total of about 40 horses. You can ride round our vineyards & into the mountains – there are about 5km of trails.
Since 1996 we have been running equestrian centres, developing & breeding showjumping horses. We felt there was an opportunity in Mallorca to create something special and have been working on it ever since. The combination of horses and wine seems a great fit”
We are now also adding an art element to the farm… we have a huge space for art, where the old disco was. At Easter & during the Summer, we will start to create number of exhibitions. We hope that our first exhibition will be with Shai Dahan an American Contemporary painter and street artist who works with paintings, drawings, murals, illustrations and sculptures.
So… as you see it is all pretty full on at the moment….
For more info about the Wine Community or stabling your horse at Ses Rotes, it is best to check out the website www.sesrotes.com
Membership of the Ses Rotes Community
Free to join
Membership is free when you purchase an introductory members pack of Ses Rotes Wine
Learn about Viticulture
Get your hands dirty in the fields & in the winery – learn about wine making
Discounts on Wine
10% discount on all Ses Rotes take home wine
Invitation to Events
You’ll receive invitations to our members-only events
Newsletter
Keep you up to speed with what is happening during the wine making process & social events
New Friends & Contacts
Where there is wine there are friendships. The best way to make new friends on the island is to do it over wine at Ses Rotes
