Bodegas: Primitivo Collantes

The history of this bodega in Chiclana goes back to the end of the XIX century, 1889 in fact,  when the brothers Primitivo and Tomás Collantes Lloredo arrived there from the Valle de Iguña near Santander. Their first harvest was in 1903, and before long they bought from Don Manuel Lloredo, presumably a relative, part of a bodega in the Calle Ancha, 51, which remains to this day their headquarters. This bodega is known popularly as the “Bodega El Gallo” (The Cockerel) and is still run by the 4^th generation of the family.

Over the years the brothers worked hard and the business grew. They went on to acquire a site in the Calle Arroyuelo, now the site of their bodega de crianza. In 1946 the company was registered, becoming a limited company in 1973 under the name Primitivo Collantes SA. The firm makes wine and vinegar from the produce of its own vineyards which are in the registry of the Consejo Regulador for Sherry production, along with the bodega de elaboración and the bodega de crianza.

The bodegas over the years

The vineyards consist of Pozo Galván (17.3 ha. of Palomino on albariza lustrillo), Matlián (19.53 ha. and including small plos of Moscatel and Uva Rey, a vine which was once fairly abundant here but nearly disappeared after Phylloxera) and El Inglés (18.31 ha.) totalling just over 55 hectares of long established albariza soils, mostly of the tajón type , but with a more coastal climate. All the vineyards are cultivated and harvested manually. Wines are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks before being transferred to butts for ageing in criaderas and soleras. The firm is currently run by Primitivo Collantes who is one of the new generation of dynamic winemakers pushing the frontiers of wine in the province and has the well-known oenologist Ramiro Ibañez Espinar as a consultant.

Various very fine "Sherries" are produced and some table wines:

Fino Arroyuelo (5 years old, also available en rama)

Fino Ceballos (3 years old), Fino Arroyuelo (5 years old from solera with 5 criaderas)

Moscatel Oro Los Cuartillos and Moscatel Viejo Los Cuartillos  (Made from the Moscatel de Grano Menudo (smaller berries) as opposed to the more usual Moscatel de Alejandría).

Amontillado-Fino  Fossi (5 years old)

Oloroso Los Dos (7 years old and slightly sweet)

Cream El Trovador (Oloroso + Moscatel)

Viña Matlián (Table wine made from Palomino fermented in tank. They also make a slightly sweeter version of it, the Semi-dulce.
Socaire  (Palomino fermented in butt and aged 24 months without flor. There is a new slightly oxidised version

They also make very good vinegar aged in solera

Address: J. Canalejas, 51, 11130 Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz

Telephone: (+34) 956 400 150 and 956 400 767
Website: www.bodegasprimitivocollantes.com

Visits: Mon- Fri  07.00 – 15.00 by appointment