EL GRIFO
EL GRIFO is a 250-year-old family winery in Lanzarote, Spain, producing premium volcanic wines from indigenous Malvasía Volcánica and Listán Negro grapes, with diversified operations spanning a 12-room boutique hotel, restaurant, wine museum, library, and subscription Wine Club.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1775
- HeadquartersSan Bartolomé, Spain
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What EL GRIFO does
EL GRIFO is a 250-year-old family-owned winery founded in 1775 in Lanzarote, Canary Islands, operated as El Grifo S.A. since 1980 and currently led by the Otamendi brothers (Juan José and Fermín Otamendi Rodríguez-Bethencourt). The estate cultivates 100 hectares of vineyards within the La Geria Protected Landscape across five municipalities (Tinajo, Teguise, Haría, Yaiza and San Bartolomé) at 250–462 metres altitude, with 50 hectares organically certified. Vines are planted in hollows carved into volcanic ash (picón) and protected by semicircular stone walls (zocos), and the estate preserves pre-phylloxera ungrafted vines (pie franco) and indigenous varieties — primarily Malvasía Volcánica (exclusive to Lanzarote), with Listán Negro, Vijariego Blanco, Moscatel and Syrah in support. Innovation programs include the pioneering Vendimia de Invierno (Winter Harvest) project first bottled in 2022, indigenous yeast research since 2018, regenerative viticulture and an Insect Hotel biodiversity project on the Masdache estate, the proprietary Oresteo CO2 recovery system, vermicomposting, and 60%-of-consumption photovoltaic generation; technical direction is led by Technical Director Elisa Ludeña (since 2023) with consulting winemaker Xabier Kamio (Az3 Oeno, since 2022) and Dr. Nicolas Bernard (Vivelys).
EL GRIFO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EL GRIFO
- Legal name
- El Grifo S.A.
- Website
- https://elgrifo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1775
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EL GRIFO is a 250-year-old family winery in Lanzarote, Spain, producing premium volcanic wines from indigenous Malvasía Volcánica and Listán Negro grapes, with diversified operations spanning a 12-room boutique hotel, restaurant, wine museum, library, and subscription Wine Club.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EL GRIFO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Winery and Volcanic Wine Production
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Bars (THAFAEAF), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)
Keywords
Where EL GRIFO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Bartolomé
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
EL GRIFO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale wine sales through e-commerce, winery shop, Wine Club, and distribution to restaurants and retailers. Includes premium wines, sparkling wines, and limited editions.
- Wine Tourism Experiences: Paid wine tourism experiences including guided winery tours, wine tastings, and gastronomic experiences. Prices range from €15-95 per person depending on experience type.
- Wine Club Membership: Membership program offering exclusive discounts, access to limited-edition products, priority access to events, and newsletter communications.
- Hotel and Restaurant: Boutique hotel with 12 rooms (Hotel EL GRIFO in Mozaga) and restaurant offering Canarian cuisine paired with estate wines.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine Lovers Experience - Premium guided tour with 6-wine tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine Lovers & Gastronomy Experience - Tour with gourmet lunch |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting of Selected Wines - Guided 5-wine tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EL GRIFO Your Way - Self-guided audio tour with 2-wine tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine prices range from entry to premium |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
EL GRIFO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EL GRIFO is a historic family winery (founded 1775) producing premium wines from indigenous Canary Island grape varieties cultivated in volcanic ash terroir within Lanzarote's La Geria Protected Landscape. The portfolio spans still wines (Malvasía Volcánica, Listán Negro, Vijariego Blanco, Syrah), sparkling wines, ancient sweet wines, and limited special editions. Complementing wine production, the winery operates paid wine tourism experiences (tours, tastings, gastronomy), a Wine Museum, a Wine Bar, a 12-room boutique Hotel with restaurant in Mozaga, and a Wine Club loyalty membership program.
Product overview
EL GRIFO is a historic winery founded in 1775 producing 'heroic wines' from Lanzarote's volcanic terroir. The product portfolio centers on premium wines made from indigenous Canary Island grape varieties (Malvasía Volcánica, Listán Negro, Vijariego Blanco, Moscatel, Syrah) cultivated in volcanic ash vineyards protected by stone walls. The winery offers a diversified portfolio including core still wines (whites, rosés, reds), sparkling wines (Brut Nature, Ancestral), sweet ancient wines (Canari, Moscatel de Ana, George Glas), and limited special editions. Supplementary offerings include wine tourism experiences (tours, tastings, gastronomy), a Wine Museum chronicling 250 years of history, a Wine Bar, a boutique Hotel with restaurant, and a Wine Club membership. The 250th anniversary commemorative Malvasía Volcánica Lías 2018 and Winter Harvest wines represent recent innovations in the product line.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Malvasía Volcánica Wines
Quantifiable outcome
- Gold Medal at Mundus Vini 2026 for Lías 2023 and Seco Colección 2025
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use EL GRIFO
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
EL GRIFO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
EL GRIFO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Michelin-Starred Restaurants (8 restaurants)flagshipEL GRIFO brought together eight distinguished Michelin-starred restaurants in Lanzarote for an exclusive food and wine pairing event focused on showcasing volcanic wines with gourmet cuisine. This high-profile event celebrated the 250th anniversary and positioned EL GRIFO wines in premium culinary contexts.
- José Saramago FoundationcoreEL GRIFO maintains a close relationship with the José Saramago Foundation, led by Saramago's widow Pilar del Río. The Nobel laureate was a distinguished friend of the winery, unveiling a commemorative plaque in 2000 and writing the foreword for a book published by the winery. This cultural partnership honors the writer's legacy while connecting literary and wine heritage.
- Az3 Oeno (Xabier Kamio)coreXabier Kamio, consulting winemaker and director of Az3 Oeno, leads the Viticultural Development Project (initiated 2010) focused on maximizing native varieties of Lanzarote DO. Collaborates on R&D projects including the pioneering Winter Harvest initiative.
- Dr. Nicolas Bernard (Vivelys)coreDr. Nicolas Bernard from Vivelys collaborates on the Viticultural Development Project studying maturation evolution (Dyostem studies) and integrated analysis of soil-plant-climate relationships in Lanzarote's traditional vineyards.
- Abadía RetuertaminorCollaboration with Abadía Retuerta on developing methods for assessing vineyard condition, advancing viticultural research techniques.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
EL GRIFO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Familia Torres: Major Spanish wine group with significant R&D investment in climate-adapted viticulture and indigenous variety preservation (e.g., recovered ancestral Catalan varieties). Comparable on the innovation and sustainability dimension, though at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- López de Heredia (R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia): Century-old Rioja winery famous for heritage, traditional methods, and long lees aging. Comparable as a multi-generational family estate with heritage storytelling, museum-quality facilities, and a similar premium positioning built on tradition rather than scale.
- Marqués de Riscal: Iconic Rioja heritage winery with a luxury hotel and wine tourism operations (Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Frank Gehry winery). Comparable on the heritage + luxury hospitality + premium wine tourism integrated business model that EL GRIFO is pursuing at smaller scale.
Direct peers
- Bodegas Rubicón: Lanzarote winery producing wines from the same indigenous Canary Island grape varieties in volcanic soils. Competes directly for Canary Islands on-trade listings, tourist tastings, and limited international distribution of volcanic Lanzarote wines.
- Bodega La Geria: Major Lanzarote winery named after the same Protected Landscape where EL GRIFO is headquartered. Both produce wines from Malvasía Volcánica and Listán Negro in the picón volcanic ash system; compete for the same HoReCa and wine tourism customers on the island.
- Bodegas Teneguía: Historic winery on La Palma (Canary Islands) producing wines from pre-phylloxera ungrafted vines in volcanic soils. Closest peer for the "heroic volcanic viticulture" model and indigenous grape preservation story outside Lanzarote.
- Bodegas Yuste (Bodega Juan Mateos): Canary Islands winery focused on preserving ancient, nearly extinct grape varieties. Shares EL GRIFO's indigenous grape conservation thesis and volcanic/terroir-driven positioning; comparable on premium product strategy and small-scale craft production.
- Bodega Stratvs: Lanzarote winery operating from a striking modern winery building in La Geria. Produces single-vineyard wines from volcanic terroir with similar grape varieties; comparable on production scale, premium positioning, and tourism experience offerings.
- Bodegas Vega de Yuco: Another Lanzarote-based winery operating under the same DO Lanzarote designation. Directly comparable in volcanic terroir, indigenous grape focus, and island-based distribution. Sara Rodriguez, EL GRIFO's oenology technician, previously managed the technical department here, underscoring close peer parity.
Emerging players
- Tenuta delle Terre Nere: Etna (Sicily) producer of wines from volcanic terroir with indigenous varieties (Nerello Mascalese). Closest international analog for the "volcanic terroir + indigenous varieties + pre-phylloxera heritage" narrative that supports EL GRIFO's premium pricing and storytelling.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EL GRIFO social profiles
Digital presenceEL GRIFO compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
EL GRIFO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EL GRIFO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
EL GRIFO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EL GRIFO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EL GRIFO
What does EL GRIFO do?
EL GRIFO is a historic family winery (founded 1775) producing premium wines from indigenous Canary Island grape varieties cultivated in volcanic ash terroir within Lanzarote's La Geria Protected Landscape. The portfolio spans still wines (Malvasía Volcánica, Listán Negro, Vijariego Blanco, Syrah), sparkling wines, ancient sweet wines, and limited special editions. Complementing wine production, the winery operates paid wine tourism experiences (tours, tastings, gastronomy), a Wine Museum, a Wine Bar, a 12-room boutique Hotel with restaurant in Mozaga, and a Wine Club loyalty membership program.
Is EL GRIFO a public or private company?
EL GRIFO is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was EL GRIFO founded?
EL GRIFO was founded in 1775. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EL GRIFO based?
EL GRIFO is headquartered in San Bartolomé, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does EL GRIFO make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Wine Sales are the primary driver. The others are wine Tourism Experiences, wine Club Membership and hotel and Restaurant.
Who are EL GRIFO's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Familia Torres, López de Heredia (R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia) and Marqués de Riscal. Direct peers are Bodegas Rubicón, Bodega La Geria, Bodegas Teneguía, Bodegas Yuste (Bodega Juan Mateos), Bodega Stratvs and Bodegas Vega de Yuco. Tenuta delle Terre Nere is listed as an emerging player.
Does EL GRIFO have an API?
No public API is recorded for EL GRIFO.
What industry is EL GRIFO in?
EL GRIFO's product category is Winery and Volcanic Wine Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAB, Wine Production & Winemaking, with a secondary code of CRADAIAB, Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands. Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 2080.