Hostal Pons is on a street that would be better described as an alley. Up the stairs and through a lovely courtyard is a dimly lit pension with cramped rooms and hallways, filled with ancient beds and furniture that most likely hasn’t been replaced since the Spanish Civil War. All of this is watched over by a 30-something punk space cadet who seems to be the establishment’s only visible employee.

I lived there for two weeks, when I had first moved to Palma. I was happy when I moved into my own apartment.

I am lucky to have begun my time in Palma here, though; if I hadn’t, I can’t say for sure that I ever would have found La Vinya. Around the corner from Hostal Pons, La Vinya is a hole in the wall in the old city, standing a bit on its own next to some art galleries and a less-than-stellar English pub. It was for practical reasons – the initial attraction was based on its proximity and a sign that read, “WiFi” – that I found myself sitting there one night, sipping a glass of wine. To escape the boredom of sitting in my hotel room I would go to La Vinya every night. As the days went on, I had found an apartment, I was sharing my hotel room with someone else who’d also just moved to Palma, and I’d gotten to know the bar’s owner. I had begun to relax and see the place for what it was: a really great hangout with an interior that feels both classic and quirky, from ornate candles to cowprint.

Esteban is the owner and front man of La Vinya, one of the first people I met in Palma and one of the coolest. He is the only employee, though he has left the bar in the care of friends periodically in order to take a vacation. Originally from Argentina, he’s also lived in the United States while on his way to proprietorship of this bar in Palma. Between his music and his conversation (in a welcoming, familiar Argentine accent), Esteban has proven himself knowledgable in his chosen profession: running a good bar and knowing good wine.

As previously mentioned, and as the bar’s name suggests (‘vinya’ in Catalan means ‘vineyard’), there is a wide variety of wines available to drink here. I’m no a wine expert, so I won’t be able to rattle off names, but they do make a point of featuring some good Majorcan wine. Grapes are grown in the center of the island and the wines made from them are generally not exported too far afield. That doesn’t mean they are subpar. I am a fan of the Macià Batle crianza, which stands up to Spain’s more famous wines from la Rioja or Penedès.

Wine is all well and good, but I have to say what really seduced me about La Vinya is Esteban’s selection of spirits and cocktail mixing capabilities. Mixology in the islands doesn’t go very far beyond the pomada. A good mixed drink, one with quality liquor and interesting flavor combinations, is pretty hard to come by at the average Palma bar. Esteban, however, makes a pretty good mojito and has incorporated the Gin & French into his repertoire. Essentially the perfect meeting point between mojito and gin martini, the Gin & French was quickly added to my list of favorite drinks.

At the bar, La Vinya always seems to have one kind of food or another to accompany its imbibibles. There is a standard leg of cured dry ham standing proudly at one end. There is always cheese and bread. I’ve even had some delicious Argentine-style empanadas, filled with beef, cheese and a variety of other savories, with my glass of wine.

After moving into my apartment a little further away from La Vinya, I stopped coming every night to check my e-mail, but it was still a reference point for my nights out and a destination for a special occasion. I will miss not being able to stoll in and have a conversation with Esteban from time to time. La Vinya just had the right combination of coolness, secrecy and good product. Pour yourself a drink. Fins la pròxima!

La Vinya de Sant Feliu
Carrer de Sant Feliu 16
07012 Palma de Mallorca
SPAIN

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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 at 10:05 am and is filed under Majorca.