Bodegas: Williams & Humbert

This famous firm was founded in 1877, the fruit of a romance. Englishman Alexander Williams went to Jerez to try his luck and for a while worked in a humble bodega job with Wisdom & Warter. He fell for a girl called Amy Humbert, also English though resident in Jerez, but his salary could never pay for a family and he begged his employers to help. After their refusal he decided to rent a warehouse and establish his own bodega, helped by Edward Engelbach, a banker with Coutts, and being joined later by Arthur Humbert, soon to be his brother in law. Arthur was expert in international relations, which proved very useful, and their first (modest) order came in from London that same year for 2 half-butts of fino. This is interesting since at that time it was mainly oloroso that was exported in any quantity.

As time passed the bodega was growing and exports increasing to such diverse places as Denmark, the Far East, Malaysia, Ireland and India. The firm now exports to over 80 countries. Williams was later knighted. In 1900 Carl Williams, son of Alexander,  introduced the "Sherry Girl" logo and in 1906 what is now their signature brand, Dry Sack, a blend of amontillado, oloroso and PX. The new century arrived, and in the 1920's they were involved in the establishment of the Consejo Regulador. For a while W&H owned Robertsons, a port firm in Oporto, but sold it to Sandeman, a Sherry firm also involved with Port. In 1920 the firm laid down a butt of wine in honour of the birth of a family member, and this became habitual meaning the bodega now has a collection of butts of vintage wine from every year since, now amounting to over 500.

Nowadays the company owns over 450 hectares of vineyard consisting of 2 plots, Las Conchas in the Balbaina, and Dos Mercedes in the Carrascal and they are experimenting with the production of Moscatel and PX. The bodega complex built in 1974 is also interesting, if rather industrial looking. Built by Rumasa for Bodegas Internacionales, it extends to 180,000 square metres (or about 25 acres, making it the biggest winery in Europe, if not beyond) and is constructed from interlocking reinforced concrete modules in the shape of inverted umbrellas. At the entrance is a large pond with two water spouts. Here ducks spend their days sometimes snapping at dragonflies. As is tradition in Jerez, visiting dignitaries are asked to sign a cask, and here you can see casks signed by the Beatles, the King and Queen of Spain, Queen Elizabeth II, Peter O'Toole...The "Sacristy" (where the oldest wines - most dating from foundation or before are kept) is named after Don Guido, or Guy Dingwall Williams who ran the firm till his death in 1959, (an old PX wine is also named after him) and is full of memories and tradition. Here too is a wine museum; it says a lot for the bodega managers over the years that they kept all the old equipment as it was replaced, though there is no shortage of room. 50,000 butts are stored here.

In 1972 the firm was bought by Rumasa and moved to the new modern bodega from their charming old bodegas mostly in the Calle Paul. Much of these remains, but their office building and one bodega (which stored the Pando solera) are now integrated into Hotel Los Jandalos, another bodega is now a museum of nativity scenes and another is a youth club. Rumasa was finally expropriated by the Spanish Government in 1983, as they dismantled its labyrinthine wrongdoings. It was then re-privatised in 1985 from the Patrimonio del Estado and bought by the Riojan entrepreneur Marcos Eguizabal, who sold it on to Luis Paez who were helped by Dutch supermarket chain Royal Ahold and sold to Jose Medina y Cia. in 1995. There were initial problems with the rights to the brand Dry Sack which the Ruiz Mateos family (of Rumasa) had tried to secure, but the Medinas have re-dynamised W&H and it is now one of the leading bodegas again, exporting 90% of the 9 million bottles of Sherry produced.

Jose Medina was established in 1971 by 4 brothers: Jose, Nicolas, Jesus and Angel Medina Cachero who worked in bodegas and wanted their own. Their business grew mainly from exports by means of collaboration agreements with various big buyers. In 1979 Royal Ahold agreed with them a partnership through an associated company, Luis Paez. This and subsequent agreements helped Medina consolidate becoming a leading exporter and they bought out Luis Paez, along with various brands such as Bodegas Internacionales and Gran Duque de Alba brandy. In 1995, with the purchase of W&H, they grouped all their businesses under one umbrella, W&H, and signed long term agreements to supply Ahold and its subsidiaries with Sherry. So now W&H is entirely Andaluz owned!

Since then they have diversified into table wines from other regions of Spain such as Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Rias Baixas, and local Palomino table wine (Estero). There is also Rum and a cream liqueur version of the brandy. Then there is Medina del Encinar, their own brand of fine cheeses, Iberico cured pork, and their own distribution company (Sovisur).

What with the scale of the bodegas, there is room for events, and all sorts can be arranged there, for example parties, weddings, conventions etc, there is an equestrian show and a lot more!

Range:

Manzanillas: Manzanilla Alegria, Collection Manzanilla,
Finos: Dry Sack Fino, Collection Fino, Don Zoilo, Fino en Rama Vintage 2006, 2009, 2012... Pando

Amontillados: Collection 12 Years Old, Jalifa VORS 30 years, Vintage 2003,

Blends: Dry Sack, Dry Sack Solera Especial 15 years

Palo Cortado: Dos Cortados VOS 20 years

PX: Don Guido, Collection PX 12 years, PX Cedro

Olorosos: Collection 12 years, Lacave, Vintage 

Sweetened olorosos: Walnut Brown, Canasta Cream,  Collection Cream

Sweetened Amontillado: A Winter's Tale, As You Like It

Also some old Vintage Sherries, mostly Olorosos

{Some old brands: Carlito Dry Amontillado, Cedro Medium Dry, Molino Manzanilla}

Visits

Yes, with advance booking

Contact

Address: Autovia Jerez-Puerto de Santa Maria, Km 641.7

11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz

Tel: (+34) 956 353 400

Web: www.williams-humbert.com