The Macià Batle winery in Santa Maria del Camí is one of the best-known names in Mallorcan wine – and one of the loveliest places to understand it. The bodega sits in the heart of the D.O. Binissalem region of origin, about 15 minutes by car from Palma, and makes wines that today travel to more than a dozen countries. If you want Mallorca in a glass, this is where to begin.
What makes Macià Batle special
The close bond between wine and art is the house signature. Each year a renowned artist designs the label for the Reserva Privada – among them names like Rebecca Horn, Joan Bennassar, Yannick Vu, Rafa Forteza and Ramón Canet. The originals hang inside the building like a private gallery, and concerts are occasionally held on the grounds.
That the wines deliver is not just marketing: over the years Macià Batle has gathered more than 300 national and international awards, making it the most-decorated winery on the island. The Reserva has taken gold at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and at the Concours International des Vins de Gastronomie in France, among others.
Wines & grape varieties
The wines are made from local varieties such as Manto Negro, Callet and Premsal Blanc (also known as Moll), alongside international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah. Around 300 days of sun a year reliably ripen the fruit.
The red "1856", named after the founding year, blends Manto Negro with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah and ages twelve months in French oak. Beyond it sit whites from Premsal Blanc and Chardonnay, fruity rosados and the award-winning Reserva line – a fair cross-section of what Binissalem is about.
Tasting & tours
On the guided tour you walk through the fermentation areas, the bottling line and the barrel cellar with its oak casks. To finish, a tasting of five wines awaits, paired with homemade Mallorcan specialities such as extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fine pâtés. Tours run in German, English and Spanish, among other languages.
If you simply want to browse, you are just as welcome in the shop – no tour required. Booking ahead for the guided tours is worth it, as they run at fixed times.
History & terroir
The roots reach back to 1856, when Macià Batle began making wine from his own vines in Biniali. The current bodega building in Santa Maria del Camí only went up in the late 1990s, in a traditional style – it looks as if it has stood among the vines for far longer.
In 2003 the Mallorcan entrepreneur Sebastià Rubí acquired the winery; from 2005 it expanded and became the benchmark for quality wine on the island. What has stayed is the founder's idea: modern, characterful wines from carefully selected Mallorcan vines.
