Bodegas: Emilio Lustau

One of Jerez's most prestigious bodegas, Lustau dates back to 1896 when it was founded by Don Jose Ruiz-Berdejo, a legal secretary who cultivated a modest vineyard in the outskirts of Jerez caled Finca Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza. Here he made and stored his own wines in a small bodega, and as such was an Almacenista. He would later sell the wines to the big exporting bodegas.

In the 1930s he died, and his son in law took over in 1940. His name was Don Emilio Lustau Ortega from Granada. He managed to combine a rather impressive military career with that of a bodeguero, deciding to move the bodega to the old Santiago area in the heart of Jerez. There, in historic buildings which formed part of the old Arab city walls, he set about slowly but surely building up the business - still as an almacenista. He also invested in more vineyards, in 1948 he purchased Pago La Guita in Balbaina and Pago Pino Fiel in Raboatun, followed in 1962 by Pago la Cruz de Usillo in Balbaina. Emilio began to export wines in the 1950s. In 1962 the company became an SA (limited Company) and his sons took over.

The company continued to expand during the 1970s, constructing new bodegas at the old family finca, then at the start of the 1980s, under the management of Rafael Balao Chilla (1933-93) it became one of the most innovative firms in Jerez. He felt Lustau should be at the forefront of quality, and what with its almacenista roots, he introduced the Solera Reserva range which comes from old almacenista stocks then added the Almacenista range, a series of beautiful wines from small almacenistas bottled by Lustau. Balao also revived the old tradition of Old East India Sherry, and released Vendimia Cream (now Lustau Anada) in 1992.

Luis Caballero, a Sherry, brandy and liqueur producer in Puerto de Santa Maria purchased Lustau in 1990. His Ponche Caballero is Spain's biggest selling liqueur. This added 170 hectares of vineyard at Montegilillo to the portfolio. In 2001 Lustau purchased 6 bodegas in the Calle Arcos from Allied Domecq totalling 20,000 square metres which were then restored, and in 2008 they purchased the great Domecq brands La Ina, Botaina, Rio Viejo Macarena and Vina 25 along with the appropriate soleras - 4,000 butts in all. Lustau now market over 40 wines, not to mention brandy and vinegar. They are now the Sherry division of Caballero which concentrates on spirits.

Their impressive list of products is as follows:

Solera Reserva Range:
Puerto Fino; Fino Jarana; Manzanilla Papirusa; Amontillados Los Arcos and Escuadrilla; Palo Cortado Peninsula; Oloroso Don Nuno; Creams Capataz Andres, Candela and Rare Cream Superior; Moscatel Emilin; PX San Emilio

The Domecq Range
Fino la Ina; Rio Viejo Oloroso; PX Vina 25; Botaina Amontillado; Manzanilla Macarena

Solera Gran Reserva
Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia

Especialidades
VORS Amontillado; Palo Cortado; Oloroso; PX
East India Solera
Seleccion Centenaria PX Murillo
Anada 1990 Oloroso Dulce

Almacenista Range
10 different rare wines from small almacenista soleras.


Visits? Yes, by previous appointment
Contact
Address: Calle Arcos, 53, 11402 Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)
Tel: (+34) 956 341 597
Web: www.lustau.es