Bodegas: Gutierrez Colosia

This is one of the few remaining family bodegas and is beautifully positioned on the riverbank at the mouth of the river Guadalete at el Puerto de Santa Maria. It was built in 1837 and was previously used by Sancho Hermanos (Amontillado Quijote), Pedro Domecq and the 2nd Marques de Camillas (Vina del Pollero Alto), from whom it was bought in the early XX century by the current owner's grandfather Jose Gutierrez Dosal. He had founded a firm of almacenistas in the late XIX century.

He and his son supplied wine to the big bodegas while his grandson Juan Carlos Gutierrez Colosia studied, however Juan Carlos dropped out and ended up helping his father in the bodega where he learned and did everything. His father died in 1966 when Juan Carlos was only 20 and was forced to take on the considerable responsibility.

During the seemingly endless crisis that is Sherry, some of their main customers, Williams & Humbert, Osborne and Gonzalez Byass, no longer needed their wines, leaving Juan Carlos with two choices: close or bottle and sell on the open market. This meant buying expensive bottling equipment and going out selling. Luckily he believed strongly in what he was doing and in hard work, and despite many vicissitudes he slowly made headway. In 1969 he bought the ruin of the neighbouring palace of the Conde de Cumbrehermosa, a Cargador de Indias which had a small bodega to which he added 2 more, though the firm no longer owns this. In 1982 he bought a 300 cask solera of oloroso known as Sangre y Trabajadero from the now defunct bodega Cuvillo. This wine had been traditionally used at the shipyards of Puerto Real de Navantia for launching ships. It is still available. He bought another old oloroso solera from the now also defunct bodega Merello Gomez from which he produces the Cream Mari Pepa.

In 1995 the top Spanish buyers' guides Penin and Gourmets gave his wines high marks, and in 1998 he got his first order from Britain, and slowly other countries began buying. The wines are probably better known abroad now than at home.

Range:
Colosia:
Fino, Dry Amontillado, Dry Oloroso, Cream, PX, Moscatel Soleado and a 50 year old Palo Cortado
Specials:
Mari Pepa Cream, Sangre y Trabajadero Oloroso, Fino Campo de Guia

Brandy Juan Sebastian Elcano (nearly 100 year old solera) Named after Spanish Navy training ship.
Vinegar

Visits yes
Contact
Address: Avenida Bajamar, 40, 11500 Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz
Tel: (+34) 956 852 852
Web: www.gutierrez-colosia.com