Son Mayol

The young history of the Son Mayol winery

A small group of Swiss entrepreneurs recognized the great potential of the Balearic island of Mallorca for viticulture and organic farming in the early 2000s, whereupon they sought suitable land on the Mediterranean island. After a few years, they finally found what they were looking for in 2006: the 17th-century Villa Son Mayol in the Puigpunyent region was available. Although extensive renovation work was necessary, the ecological and geographical conditions were ideal. 

The first vines were planted that same year, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon chosen. In addition to viticulture, cows were purchased for organic meat production and olive trees were planted.

The newly planted vines were finally ready for the first harvest 7 years later, in 2013. For best results, French oenologist Patrick Léon was hired as a consultant, as well as Marie Barbé, experienced in viticulture, as director. The effort and investment paid off, as the first vintages already met with much approval. 

Oenologist Léon sadly passed away in 2018, shortly after completing the '18 vintage. He has been succeeded by his son Bertrand.

Quality and standards at Son Mayol

At Son Mayol, great emphasis is placed on quality. The wines are produced biodynamically, with the help of cultivation methods without using unnecessary chemical products. Quality does not start in the cellar, but in the vineyard, through planting, pruning, maintenance and harvest time.

In its predestined valley location, the plantings can be spread over 35 different sites. The north, south, east and west sites have very different microclimates, which is why the results are also very different, despite the same grape varieties.

The individual sites are vinified in the winery individually and according to the principle of gravity. At the very end of the two-year barrel aging, it is only decided which sites will be used for which wines. The result is wines with long shelf life and great potential for development.

The modern Bodega Son Mayol was designed by the famous Spanish architect Javier Campos, it is modeled on the harmonious vibrations of the Tramuntana mountains. Preserved in the building is environmentally friendly cutting-edge technology. The grapes are processed according to the gravity principle, without the use of pumps. They first sink into the cuves for fermentation, and then into the barriques. Consequently, the building has three floors.

Following the environmentally friendly principle, Bodega Son Mayol has its own photovoltaic system on the roof, which generates 100,000 KWh of electricity per year. The plant's electricity needs are thus more than covered, and the surplus energy is fed into the grid. Cooling and heating are generated by heat pumps, and the service water is purified and reused.

The wines of Son Mayol

Son Mayol produces two storable red wines:

• Grand Vin Son Mayol: A classic wine with elegance and strong body

• Premier Vin Son Mayol: A wine with good fruit and few tannins

Both wines are an assemblage of Bordeaux grape varieties, put together along the lines of the great Bordeaux wines. 

The differences between the two red wines lie in the method of vinification and barrel aging. After the separate vinification of the sites, the grapes are assigned to one of the two wines. The grapes that do not convince the winemakers of Son Mayol are sold to other producers.

In addition, from the Merlot grapes of the best plots, a rosé is obtained, which comes from an extraction of the Grand Vin.

Terroir

Son Mayol can draw on a proud 35 different terroirs, which means that many different influencing factors go into the final product. Thus, there are the most diverse soils (clay, limestone, sand, silt), different orientations (south, north, east, west). Slopes on the hillside, different grape varieties.