One of the oldest Sherry firms, Delgado Zuleta was officially established in 1744 - though there is evidence of trading going back to 1719 - by Don Francisco Gil Ledesma y Sotomayor to supply wines to the American colonies. In 1870 his descendant Don Jose Delgado y Zuleta, once a marine arrived at Sanlucar de la Barrameda, married Dolores Nudi y Diaz de la Concha and took over the reins of the firm. In 1876 the company was appointed as a supplier to the royal household.
In 1918 their famous Manzanilla La Goya became the house's first and principal brand. It was named after the stage name of a well known singer and dancer of the era, Aurora Jauffre "La Goya".
In 1978 they merged with the firm of Benito Rodriguez La-Cave SA, retaining the title Delgado Zuleta. Manzanilla La Goya was served at the wedding of the Principes de Asturias - Don Felipe and Dona Letizia in May 2004. They are now King and Queen after the abdication of Don Juan Carlos I.
For a long time the firm owned no fewer than 24 bodegas in Sanlucar: Monte de Piedad, Gitanos, Cuestecilla, Carmen Viejo, Pastora, Luis Equilaz and Trillo, to name a few, but with urban development they became less practical, scattered as they were around the city. Furthermore, their microclimate had been affected and extra precautions to protect the flor had to be implemented. In 1998 the firm consolidated them all into one purpose built complex ideally suited by way of atmosphere to the ageing of Manzanilla. The chosen site is on the Avenida Rocio Jurado, on the Chipiona road. Orientated south-west with good exposure to the west winds and suitable soil humidity (it is built on albariza), the new bodega was designed by Carlos Delgado Hidalgo.
Moving soleras is a nightmare as many butts are very old and might not stand the disturbance. The oenologist, Manolo Barba, worked with five expert coopers to check the condition of every butt and make any repairs necessary, always using old staves already "known" to the wine. The younger wines - the criaderas - were moved first to acclimatise in their new surroundings, so that when the soleras arrived, they would be fed by wine which was in good shape. The solera casks were arranged extremely carefully, as over centuries bearing the weight of the criaderas, they can be a little distorted. This process took 16 years. It was not till 2012 that Manolo decided that they could make a special approximately annual saca, the outstanding Goya XL which is bottled en rama.
At one time the firm owned top quality vineyards in the Pago Miraflores, such as Viña Las Treinta, but has since sold them and buys in musts from growers and cooperatives.
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| Export Director Pelayo Garcia with a bottle of La Goya |
The bodega markets various brands:
From the soleras of Rodriguez de Lacave: Manzanilla Pasada Barbiana
Amontillado Viejo Quo Vadis
Amontillado Goyesco
From DZ soleras : Manzanilla La Goya
Manzanilla La Goya XL
Amontillado Viejo Zuleta
From joint soleras or blending: Monteagudo premium range
Las Sierras Oloroso/PX/Moscatel
Las Señoras Oloroso Abocado
Abuelamaria Oloroso Abocado
Zuleta range
New solera: Manzanilla Entusiastica, organic Manzanilla
This organic Manzanilla is made from mosto from the Trebujena vineyard of Pepe Cabral, a local pioneer in organic viticulture, and is getting better with every annual saca.
The firm also produces vinegar and the table wine Viña Galvana blended from Moscatel and Palomino grapes.
Visits can be arranged by prior appointment -
Contact: comercial@delgadozuleta.com
Avda. Rocio Jurado (Carretera Chipiona), km 1.5
11540 Sanlucar de la Barrameda, Cadiz
Tel: (+34) 956 360 543
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