5.9.15 Soviet Satellites; Consejo Exhibition; GB Cata Magistral

During the Cold War Russian military spy satellites took high resolution images of Jerez and other cities in Andalucía because of their strategic, military and economic interest. From these highly detailed maps studies were created in the early 1970s which show the toponomy, classification of buildings and infrastructures, military installations, communications, transport, details of the Guadalete, geography, soil composition, water supply, commerce, population  among many other things. 

Part of an image created from satellite pictures (foto:diariojerez)

Jerez was regarded as strategically important as a hub of railway and road communications and food supply as well as being an important producer of wine and “its bodegas are enormous.” This was a staggering amount of detail, and no doubt the proximity of Jerez to Gibraltar was taken into account. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union the documents were bought by the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Cataluña who had them digitalised in 2014.

Los Claustros de Santo Domingo in Jerez has an excellent exhibition of the history of the Consejo Regulador which runs till September 27th. Entitled “80 Years Defending What Is Ours” it is part of the Fiesta de la Vendimia celebrations and highlights the definitive patrimony and identity of the city – “Nuestra tierra, nuestra gente y nuestra cultura” (our land, our people and our culture).

On show are photographs and curiosities of the wine trade, generic label designs, old documents from the gremios (wine guilds predating the Consejo), and the first Reglamentos (rules) of the Denominación de Origen from 1935 among many other things. “It is an entertaining exhibition and one which will appeal to anybody interested in the world of Sherry – our world,” said César Saldaña, Consejo director and organiser of the exhibition. This is well worth seeing if you can.

Antonio Flores, chief winemaker at González Byass, will lead a tasting at the Patio de las Armas in the Alcázar on Monday night as part of the Fiesta de la Vendimia. He will highlight the versatility of these unique Sherry wines and their compatibility with food. GB will also be participating in De Copa en Copa (from glass to glass) at the Claustros de Santo Domingo on the 10,11,12 of this month.