Jerez - a sip of sherry at a local bodega

Wednesday 5 February
Well, we couldn't visit Jerez without visiting a bodega could we?  But which one?!  There are around 20 here in Jerez but, being a Span-o-phile - and thanks to an episode of Michael Portillo's train journey around Spain (in which he meets his old friend, Sr Gonzalez) it just had to be the Gonzalez-Byass Bodega located in the town centre.

The name Gonzalez-Byass arose out of a very successful, Anglo-Spanish alliance in 1835.  Together they became known worldwide for its Tio Pepe brand - a fine, dry white sherry.  Today, the company is run by the fifth generation of this sherry dynasty.   However, it is a very British drink.  Sir Francis Drake started it all in 1587 when he sacked Cadiz and brought over 3000 barrels to the UK.  The British soon got the taste for it and to keep up with demand a new industry was born through entrepreneurs like Harvey (from Bristol), Sandeman (from Scotland), Terry (from Eire) and Osborne (from Exeter).  Their bodegas are dotted around Jerez - interesting to see these household names alive and kicking.

Today, Gonzalez Byass exports worldwide with Britian being the main buyer - still!  It is working to bring market sherry to the wider, younger market - watch this space.  Interestingly, it bought the Croft Original brand in recent years - their pale cream sherry is delicious!  For more info, see their UK website - http://www.gonzalezbyassuk.com/.

Our guide, Maribel, walked us through the history of the bodega and the process of turning the grapes into sherry - and brandy!  Essentially, two grapes used: the palomino for the drier, lighter wines and the Pedro-Ximenez for the darker, sweeter wines.  We started off looking at the brandy distillery - the aroma as you walk in is distinctive.  Their Leprano brandy goes through a distillation process and is left for 15 years in American oak casks which have been used formerly for the sherry so the brandy gets the flavour and colouring of the sherry.

The brandy distillery

Next, Maribel took us on to the sherry bodegas which are like cathedrals: cool, dark and quiet places where the sherry can 'rest' and age.  I can't remember the duration each of the sherries is left to mature - sorry! One of the sherries is called Apostoles and in this room were 12 smaller barrels and the large central one which is called the Jesus barrel, all of which used to hold the Apostoles sherry but which are now empty - the casks have a 90-year life.

The fabulous Jesus barrel - approx. 12 feet in diameter

Also here are casks - which do contain sherry - that have been signed by famous visitors including Bobby Charlton, Ayrton Senna, Fernando Alonso, John Malkovich, Roger Moore, the British and Spanish Royal families, Orson Welles, Winston Churchill and Picasso.

A small section of the Gonzalez Byass fan club

We had a tasting afterwards with a lovely Finnish couple and the consensus was: Manzanilla or Fino for those that like dry white wine - however, these two sherries are super dry - served chilled and best enjoyed with food (Tio Pepe is the Gonzalez Byass trademark fino).  Alternatively, the medium dry Oloroso seco, Amontillado or Palo Cortado are not quite so dry and slightly darker.  Then we get into the sweeter sherries: pale cream and medium; or the rich, sweet desserts wines - Moscatel or the luxurious Pedro Ximenez.  We liked the Oloroso and Pale Cream - very drinkable!  Interesting to learn that the Spanish drink their sherry as an aperitif or, better still, combined with food.

So, that's a round-up of our trip to the bodega.  We hope it brings you some idea of what sherry is about and that you try these lovely wines for yourself - you don't have to wait until Christmas though!