Situated in the northeast of Mallorca, not far from Pollença, Can Axartell Vineyard and Finca is a place where tradition and modernity harmoniously intertwine like the tendrils of the vines that flourish in the Mediterranean climate, producing some of the island’s most interesting and enjoyable wines.
Dating back nearly 800 years, Can Axartell was founded shortly after the island was recaptured from its Moorish occupiers in 1229, and even the earliest official records reference viticulture. Though the Christian conquerors discovered several existing vineyards, it’s unlikely that they would have been used to produce wine, due to the Muslim prohibition of alcohol. However, its new occupants had no such restrictions and it is known that during the 16th and 17th century, the wines produced at Can Axartell were offered to well regarded guests in Pollença. Equally as famous was the estate’s olive oil and they still preside over 40 hectares of olive trees today, some of which are thought to date back to the very beginning of Can Axartell’s fascinating history.
Having fallen into a sad state of disrepair for many years, the estate was rediscovered by Hamburg native Hans-Peter Schwarzkopf and his family in 1997. During their initial tour of the grounds, they found a centuries-old complex of buildings including a donkey powered oil mill, a small chapel once used to hold mass services for local residents, an abandoned quarry, and the remnants of a cement producing facility. This was not going to be a quick project and required sensitive and sympathetic consideration but Hans-Peter and his team worked patiently and lovingly to build Can Axartell into what it is today; an estate that celebrates progression and tradition in equal measure.
Fortunately, the soil on which the estate was built has never been exposed to chemical treatment and so, during the planting of the first precious vines in 1999, the Schwarzkopf family applied for organic certification. The vineyard works exclusively with these practices, and today they cultivate over 34 hectares on the main estate, with another 24 planted in Villafranca de Bonany, near the centre of the island. These vines are made up of both indigenous and imported varieties and over the last decade awareness has grown of Mallorca’s unusually rich array of grapes including Callet, Manto Negro and Premsal. One previously unknown grape variety, now named ‘Pollença’, has been adopted into the experimental vineyard at Can Axartell, where it has been studied in collaboration with the University of the Balearic Islands. More common Mediterranean grapes at the vineyard include Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot. The first modern Can Axartell blend was bottled in 2013 and since then, the wines have earned well deserved acclaim in Mallorca and beyond.
Today, the estate produces one rosé, two white and three red wines as well as some special edition bottling. The collection reflects Mallorca’s rich wine heritage, giving liquid expression to the many changes that have occurred over the centuries and bottling its soul. Wines such as the fresh and uncomplicated Rosado, Blanco and Tinto Uno are intended as ‘everyday wine’, whilst Corum (white) and Terrum and Ventum (red) are dubbed ‘food friendly’ with their more complex flavours and depth, thanks to their extended barrel ageing. A notable special edition 2019 vintage wine named, ‘The Artist’ features a beautiful label painted by local artist Dionis Bennàssar.
At Can Axartell, the team had the rare opportunity to build the winery from the ground up, giving time to consider the many challenges faced, and relish in the opportunity to explore the different methods of winemaking. Whilst most estates employ pumps to move must and young wine from one stage to the next, it was decided that Can Axartell would adopt a more natural concept, involving the integration of Mètode Gravetat – the gravity method. Taking place over several floors, the gentle natural forces of gravity are used to assist in every stage of processing, from arrival of the grapes at the winery, all the way through to bottling. Though it requires extra effort and time, the rewards are rich, preserving aromas that would otherwise be lost in the more common pumping process.
The winery itself was built on the site of the old abandoned quarry, previously an eyesore gauged in the hillside. Not only did it provide the ideal space to build the four-storey bodega required to house the Mètode Gravetat system, it also meant that the original hillside could be backfilled with earth and restored to its natural state once the building work was complete. The regeneration and restoration of the hillside means it is once again a flora rich landscape, now encasing the exquisite glass facade of the impressive bodega below. In sharp contrast to the precise and exacting lines of the bodega’s frontage, inside a magnificent sweeping staircase spirals up through the building reflecting the flow of the landscape and the gentle processes used to produce the wines inside these walls.
The design of the bodega fell to Mallorcan based architect, Bernd Schmahl. This was no easy feat, taking into consideration the fundamental Mètode Gravetat concept, the practical and aesthetic desires of the owners and the strict technical requirements imposed by Pollença’s Municipal Architecture Office. Can Axartell sits within the Tramuntana, declared a world heritage site by the UN, meaning the rules are rightly stringent for new builds. The clever solution was found to construct the bodega within the confines of the quarry, meaning it is barely visible against the landscape. Not only does this provide an aesthetically pleasing result, it also means that the temperatures inside the building remain constant and low, and no additional cooling of wines is needed, even in the height of summer. The use of this natural cooling is consistent with the estate’s desire to create a holistic, ecological and sustainable business and the results are reflected in their world-class energy efficiency credentials.
The motto of the estate clearly encapsulates the core values behind Can Axartell: ”The best wine is made with respect”. The respect can be seen in every aspect of the estate’s work and the results are testament to a team with the highest regard for nature, the cultural landscape and a desire to preserve traditions for generations to come.
