ONCE UPON A TIME IN FELANITX THE COOPERATIVE WINERY, MX ∞, AND DON MARTIN’S WINE

Once upon a time in Felanitx, a town located in the northeastern part of Mallorca, there stood a beautiful cooperative winery built between 1920 and 1922 by the rationalist architect Guillem Forteza Piña. The idea for this large structure originated in 1919 from agronomist engineer Ernest Mestre, who envisioned a centralized production facility for local winegrowers who lacked the resources to produce wine independently.

In the documentary “Don Martin: Una Historia d’Amor”, Mr. Martin recalls his childhood in Felanitx—his father Don Antonio Xamena’s hometown—and nostalgically recounts memories of Es Sindicat, the name of the Felanitx cooperative winery.

In the early 1950s, it was customary after the harvest to bring grapes to Es Sindicat, where the entire community would come together to begin the winemaking process—from crushing and fermenting to the final bottling phase. The grapes, once picked, were traditionally crushed with bare feet directly in large tanks to produce the must. There are fascinating photos online capturing this moment, which was lived as a joyful communal event, almost like a village celebration with food and drink—a tradition that celebrated both the harvest and the wine itself.

This story inspired the idea to mark Don Martin’s 80th birthday by partnering with a Felanitx winery, Bodega 3.10 Celler, which cultivates over 10 hectares of exclusively organic and native grape varieties (Callet, Prensal Blanc, and Giró). We proposed a special collaboration to "borrow" a wine specifically crafted for this milestone celebration.

The label of the Don Martin Xamena 80th Anniversary Special Edition was designed by Mallorcan artist Carlos Prieto. The wine, MX ∞, is a limited-edition organic red reserva from 2021, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Its natural aromas give it a distinctive character. Visually clean and bright, it has a violet-red hue. On the nose, it offers an intense bouquet of black fruits like blackberry, bramble, and dark plum.

Smooth and pleasant on the palate, it features well-balanced acidity that adds freshness, with toasted sugar notes and subtle smokiness from the oak aging that evoke its maturity. With an alcohol content of 14%, it balances perfectly with the tannins and sugars. The selected grapes include Cabernet, Merlot, Callet, and Syrah.

Fortunately, we’ve stocked up on this extraordinary wine in our cellars. All that’s left is to order an MX ∞ and raise a glass to Don Martin—and to you, the bridge between BonSol and this beautiful story. Prosit.

FUN FACTS & GOOD NEWS
The Felanitx cooperative winery closed its doors in the 1990s. Despite its now dilapidated appearance, the building still holds the charm of a bygone era.

Last month, the Felanitx Town Hall announced the launch of a call for proposals to restore and repurpose the former industrial complex as part of an international architecture competition. The former cooperative winery is one of the selected sites in this year’s edition of the prestigious competition, sponsored by the Felanitx City Council, the Balearic Government, and the Consell de Mallorca. The aim is to transform this historic building into a vibrant cultural and social space.

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