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Can Axartell is a finca where both the traditional and modern sides of Mallorcan winegrowing blend and coexist. It is home to vineyards, olive plantations, forests, hillsides and waterways that flow together into a harmonious whole. Yet before its rediscovery in the 1990s, Can Axartell had fallen into a long period of disrepair. Restoring the centuries-old buildings proved a long and arduous process, but that time was well spent. From the start, the estate has worked exclusively with certified organic practices. The modern winery buildings were completed in 2012, all dedicated to the Can Axartell philosophy: respect for the grapes, the environment, the people who produce the wine and those who enjoy it. The first modern Can Axartell vintage was bottled in 2013. Its wines have since earned acclaim on the island and far beyond as well.

History

Can Axartell is a wine-growing estate in the northeast of Mallorca, not far from the city and port of Pollença. It is among the most progressive estates on the island, yet looks back on centuries of tradition. Even the earliest official records referencing the finca, or rural estate, mention viticulture. Can Axartell itself was founded almost 800 years ago, shortly after the island was recaptured from its Moorish occupiers in 1229. The Christian conquerors discovered several vineyards, although they are unlikely to have been used to produce wine, as Muslims are famously forbidden from drinking alcohol. The new masters had no such qualms, and by the 16th and 17th centuries wines produced at Can Axartell were being offered to illustrious guests to the city of Pollença. The farm's olive oil was equally famous; even today Can Axartell maintains over 40 hectares of olive trees, some of which likely date back to the very founding of the estate itself.

The vineyards

When Finca Can Axartell was first acquired back in the 1990s, not a single grapevine was present on the 200 hectares of land. It was instead home to a herd of sheep that grazed amidst 40 hectares of olive trees. The exact age of those olive trees is unknown, but experts have estimated some of them being between 500 and 1,000 years old. 

That Can Axartell had actually produced wine centuries earlier — highly prized at the local level, no less — only became apparent over time. What was clear, however was that vineyards had once existed in the eastern part of Mallorca, as they had almost everywhere on the island. In fact, during the 19th century there were almost 30,000 hectares under vine, almost 10x as many as today. 

The finca's land is embedded in a valley on the southern edge of the Tramuntana mountain range. Each evening, the local mountain, known as the Penya Mascorda, casts long shadows over the landscape. The valley is open in two directions, catching cooling breezes from Pollença Bay, which lies just seven kilometers away. The outstanding suitability of the finca's terrain for winegrowing was studied and confirmed by a phalanx of viticultural experts. It quickly became clear that the limestone soil boasted a high share of calcium.

However, the land was not immediately hospitable for planting the initial 2.4 hectares of vineyards. It first had to be plowed profoundly and the larger stones removed, followed by a two-year course of treatment with herbs such as alfalfa and marigold to improve the soil structure and reduce the population of roundworms. The soil was ready to accept the first vines cultivated based on organic principles by the third year. This procedure was followed for all subsequent vineyards as well.

Finca Can Axartell

The first variety planted on the estate was Callet. It is the most famous and finest variety on the island and is regarded as a native son, having mutated from other varieties over the centuries. Callet is perfectly adapted to the specific climate of the island. 2005 to 2018 saw the planting of 15 additional parcels, each covering between 1.3 and 5.5 hectares. The limestone soils contain a roughly 20% share of calcium, making them exceptionally well suited for cultivating red varieties. Rows of Callet grace the vineyards alongside indigenous varieties such as Manto Negro and the Mediterranean variety of Syrah as well as specialties such as Petit Verdot, Merlot, and various members of the Pinot family. White varieties are also included in several vineyards, with rows of Prensal, Moscatel (Muscat), and Malvasia de Banyalbufar. There is also an experimental vineyard covering 1.7 hectares featuring scarce varieties that, in some cases, are almost extinct elsewhere on the island. Research is underway on the prospects for these grapes under modern conditions, all part of an effort to preserve and revitalize the island's varietal diversity.

Finca Boscana

Finca Boscana is located roughly 45 kilometers to the southeast of Can Axartell. Its grounds are close to Manacor and Felanitx. The vineyards of Finca Boscana serve as an excellent supplement to those at Can Axartell. They present a notably different climate and soil. Boscana is cooler, windier, and more exposed. The soils run deeper, with a higher proportion of clay. Taken together, they represent an excellent foundation for white varieties. Malvasia de Banyalbufar and Prensal are planted here, as are Viognier, Garnacha Blanca and Giró Ros. There are also vineyards with Merlot, Giró Negre, and Monastrell, often known by its French name Mourvèdre. Boscana also contains experimental vineyards for the island's rare white and red varieties, allowing the oenologists to track their development in this particular climate.

Architecture

Can Axartell is one of the island's most modern and innovative estates. From the beginning, the goal has been to flow the house's core philosophy into how its buildings are designed and built. The new bodega, for example, is embedded seamlessly into its surroundings, with world-class energy efficiency and infrastructure for processing grapes as gently as possible to preserve even the most delicate of aromas. These three aspects were implemented through a very long and thorough planning phase followed by a surprisingly quick two-year construction phase.

The original plans for the building came from Catalonian architect Sergi Bastidas. He was responsible for the rehabilitation of the old farm building. Yet it soon became clear that the plans for the Mètode Gravetat as the heart of the estate would require a specialist. That work fell to José Hidalgo Togores. The agricultural engineer and oenologist is famed on the Spanish winemaking scene. He is a consultant, professor, and editor of the two-volume standard work Tratado de Viticultura, first compiled by his father, Luís Hidalgo Fernández-Cano. As a specialist in the gentle processing of grapes and wine, he refined the core plans for gravity-based production. With oenologist Ana Martìn, he also began consulting for Can Axartell.

German-born/Mallorca-based architect Bernd Schmahl then received the commission to design the bodega based on the underlying Mètode Gravetat concept; it would be an architectonic work of art, incorporating and harmonizing the various practical and aesthetic desires of the owners as well as the technical requirements posed by Pollença's municipal architecture office. Civil engineer Juan Artigues was responsible for the on-site management of construction. One of the significant challenges he faced was acquiring a construction permit in the first place; the site is part of the Tramuntana, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by the UN. The rules are strict and many for new buildings here, and rightly so. Too much construction in recent years has not contributed to preserving or enhancing the island's landscape. A clever solution was ultimately found, however: the bodega was constructed within the confines of the quarry, integrated to be barely visible against the landscape. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but here it also proved a bringer of good fortune. Because the temperatures inside the bodega remain constant and low, no additional cooling of the wines is required — even at the height of summer.