Four wines. Four cheeses. A killer Tenerife view.

At Bodegas Monje in El Sauzal, you get a guided winery visit plus an English-speaking tasting in a group capped at 10, where the focus stays on what’s in your glass and on the Canaries.

I especially like the pairing approach—each wine comes with a specific artisanal cheese from different islands—and I also like that the winery experience is designed to be chat-friendly, so guides (including names like Irine, Sonya, and Claudia) can answer questions in real time.

One possible drawback: the whole outing is short, and a few people note the pacing can feel a bit rushed, with the tasting space sometimes louder than you’d expect—so keep your expectations flexible and treat it as a tasting-first experience.

Key things I’d bookmark before you go

• Max 10 people keeps the vibe personal, not crowded.
• Four wines + four cheeses come as a planned set, with island-by-island pairings.
• English tours are offered, and weekend timings matter if you’re booking for Saturday or Sunday.
• Views from the tasting area are a big part of the experience—El Teide and the Atlantic show up in the scenery.
• No hotel pickup, so you’ll want to plan how you get to El Sauzal.

Bodegas Monje in El Sauzal: the small-group wine tasting with serious views

If your Tenerife plan is starting to feel like beach, bus, repeat, this is a nice shift. El Sauzal is a quieter corner of the island, and Bodegas Monje sits in a spot where you can actually see why people talk about Canarian wine as something tied to place, not just a label.

This is not a mega-tour with a microphone and a timed stopwatch. You’re in a small group (10 max), and the setup helps the guide keep things flowing without shutting everyone down. That’s the difference between a tasting where you taste and leave, and a tasting where you come away understanding what you tasted.

Also, the setting matters here. The patio/terrace feel shows up repeatedly in people’s comments—think wine in hand while looking out over vines and toward the sea.

Your 90-minute plan: four Canarian wines matched with four cheeses

The experience runs about 1 hour 30 minutes and ends back at the same meeting point. It’s one main stop at the winery, combining a guided visit with a structured tasting.

You should expect a guided walk through the winery area, then a tasting that follows a sequence of four wines, each paired with four cheeses. Food and snacks are included, and alcoholic beverages are part of the tasting portion.

One key timing note: on weekends, the English sessions are specifically scheduled, and the order can swap depending on what you book (more on that below). So when you choose a time slot, you’re not just picking an hour—you’re also picking whether you start with the tasting or the tour.

The tasting lineup: Dragoblanco to Listán Negro, island cheeses included

This is where the tour earns its keep. The tasting isn’t “any cheese, any wine.” Each pour comes with a named cheese from a specific island, which makes the flavors easier to track.

Here’s the full lineup you can expect:

• Dragoblanco (young white) + fresh white goat cheese from Tenerife
• Hollera (red, carbonic maceration) + smoked goat cheese from La Palma
• MonjeTradicional (young red) + semi-cured, peppery goat cheese from Fuerteventura
• Listán Negro (red, aged in the barrel) + cured goat and sheep milk cheese from Gran Canaria

I like that range because it moves you through different styles instead of repeating the same profile four times. If you’re the kind of person who likes to compare “white vs red” in a structured way, you’ll feel that progression.

One more practical tip: some wines can lean drier depending on your palate. That’s normal for wine tasting, but if you’re the sweet-wine type, you might want to ask the guide which of the four tends to feel more fruit-forward during the session.

What the winery tour shows you (and what to expect about the facility)

After you arrive at Bodegas Monje (C. Cruz de Leandro, 36, 38360 El Sauzal), you’ll get a guided look at how the winery operates. People consistently highlight the cellar/basement level setup and the equipment/barrels, and that makes sense given what you’re tasting afterward.

In plain terms, you’re learning the story through production: storage, how the facility works, and how the wines connect to their methods (for example, the carbonic maceration style behind Hollera, and the barrel aging behind Listán Negro).

A consideration if you’re expecting an all-out vineyard hike: some visitors are surprised that the experience stays focused on the winery spaces rather than being a long walk through vineyards. If what you want most is a vineyard stroll with rows of grapes, you may want to plan a separate nature/landscape stop alongside this tasting.

When to go: English tour times on weekends and how timing can shift

This is one of those tours where timing choices matter.

• English tours are offered on Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 and 17:00.
• If you book the 16:00 slot on those days, the tasting comes first, followed by the tour at 17:00.

Beyond that, the schedule can shift slightly. The activity is listed as a set-time plan, but it can occur before or after the set time (for example, tastings at one time with the tour at the next). That flexibility is helpful, but it’s also a reminder to build in a little buffer so you’re not stressed if you hear a small change on arrival.

If you’re trying to pair this with a lunch plan or another El Sauzal activity, I’d treat it as the centerpiece and schedule everything else around it.

Price and value: why $42.24 can make sense for wine lovers

At $42.24 per person, this isn’t a budget-only “sip and stroll.” But it’s also not overpriced for what you get—especially if you count the guided component and the fact that it’s a set 4-wine + 4-cheese tasting.

Your ticket includes:

• a professional guide
• food tasting and snacks
• wine tasting with alcoholic beverages as part of the itinerary
• the experience admission itself
• and it includes 7% I.G.I.C tax

Why this can feel like good value: wine-and-cheese pairings quickly become expensive when you do them à la carte, and you usually don’t get the production-and-pairing explanation in the same sitting. Here, the guide’s commentary is part of the package, and the structure helps you learn rather than just drink.

That said, balance matters. A few people report it can feel like a sales pitch for the winery’s events and shop, and a few wish the experience had more personality or more time to ask questions. If you’re the type who wants a slow, free-form tasting with lots of back-and-forth, you might feel the short duration. If you’re happy with an organized, guided tasting that gets you drinking and learning, you’ll likely feel the value.

Getting there, what to wear, and how to avoid common hassles

There’s no hotel pickup, so you’ll need to get to the meeting point on your own: Bodegas Monje, C. Cruz de Leandro, 36, El Sauzal.

From other parts of Tenerife (especially if you’re starting from a cruise area or a far-away resort), transport can change the trip’s overall cost more than you’d expect. I’d plan for that up front. A taxi can be pricey, but it’s often the easiest way to arrive on time. If you’re a bus person, it may take longer, but it’s usually cheaper.

For the tour itself:

• wear comfortable footwear
• bring a comfortable coat (even if Tenerife feels mild, winery areas can feel cool)
• you’re an adult-only experience (18+)

If you have diet needs, you can request them at booking. A vegetarian option is available, and it’s worth flagging dietary requirements early so the cheese and pairing can match your needs.

Who should book this Bodegas Monje wine-and-cheese tour?

This tour fits best if you want a focused Tenerife wine experience:

• you like structure (four named wines, four named cheeses)
• you enjoy learning how methods show up in taste
• you prefer a small group with a guide who can answer questions

It’s also a good stop if you’re not trying to spend half a day on transportation and logistics. The entire experience is about 90 minutes, which makes it easier to build into an already packed trip.

On the other hand, you may want to think twice if:

• your dream winery day is mostly a long vineyard walk
• you’re extremely sensitive to a louder indoor shop/tasting room setup (some people found the environment less comfortable)
• you need a very unhurried experience with lots of personal pacing (a few reported it felt rushed)

If you fall in the middle—curious about Canarian wines and happy to taste your way through the island’s flavors—this is a strong match.

Should you book Bodegas Monje? My take

I’d book it if you want a compact, guided Tenerife wine tasting that gives you more than a generic “here’s a wine, good luck” experience. The four specific wines and four island cheeses are the heart of it, and the small group size helps the guide actually connect the dots for you.

I’d consider skipping or pairing with something else if you need a full vineyard outdoors day, or if you know you hate rushed settings. In that case, choose a longer winery activity elsewhere—or plan this one as your quick, scenic wine moment before/after another outing.

If you’re on the fence, here’s my practical approach: book the time that fits your day best (and pay attention to weekend English times), then arrive hungry for flavors and ready to enjoy the views while you taste.

FAQ

How long is the Tenerife Bodegas Monje wine and cheese tasting tour?

The activity is estimated at about 1 hour 30 minutes.

How big is the group for this Bodegas Monje tour?

The tour has a maximum of 10 travelers, which keeps the experience fairly personal.

What’s included in the tasting?

You’ll get a guided winery visit along with a tasting of four home-produced wines paired with four artisanal Canarian cheeses. Snacks, food tasting, and alcoholic beverages connected to the itinerary are included.

What languages are the tours offered in?

The winery visits and tasting are offered in Spanish and English. English tour times on Saturday and Sunday are at 11:00 and 17:00.

Where does the tour start?

The meeting point is Bodegas Monje, C. Cruz de Leandro, 36, 38360 El Sauzal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. The tour ends back at the same meeting point.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes. A vegetarian option is available—you’ll need to request it at the time of booking.

What should I wear?

The suggested dress code is comfortable coat and footwear.

Is there an age limit?

Yes. The activity is available only to those aged 18 years or over.

Can I get a full refund if I cancel?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. If you cancel within 24 hours of the start time, you won’t receive a refund.

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