Bodegas: Wisdom & Warter

In 1854 a ship named the Arctic sank in the Atlantic drowning a Jerez wine merchant. His younger brother, Henry Wisdom acquired large stocks of Sherry from the firm of Ysasi, already well established. Henry took on as a partner Joseph Warter (b.1834) who had been working for Juan Haurie, and they began to sell these fine wines, some of which dated from the XVIII century.

Henry Wisdom (foto Jerez Siempre)

Due to the Napoleonic wars, the number of British firms trading in Jerez was reduced to 2 (from 82) and the foundation of Wisdom and Warter made a third. The firm flourished being one of the first to recognise and ship Finos, and in 1860 they entered the top ten shippers based on exports (949 butts), in part due to Fino. In Britain, the company built an enviable reputation and Henry Wisdom ran the firm in England while Joseph Warter ran things in Jerez, as well as pioneering the Dutch market, now one of the leading markets. His was a hospitable house, situated on the Avenida Capuchinos, hosting tennis parties and musical evenings. He also kept a fine stable of horses.

Joseph Warter (foto Jerez Siempre)

When Joseph Warter died Wisdom took on as a partner Graham Gandell and he ran the firm after Wisdom´s death till his own. He was succeeded by Enrique Isasi Ivison, grandson of Enrique Isasi y Lacoste, and ran the company till he died aged 80. His younger cousin, Jaime González-Gordon Díez, ran the firm, which had been bought out by González Byass around 1929, till 1975. The last director of the firm was Antonio Arías before GB finally absorbed it.

The logo of the owls on the firm’s coat of arms dates from the turn of the XIX and XX centuries, when Millicent Warter found a baby owl and raised it near the bodegas. Owls being wise, it made the perfect logo for a wine called Wisdom. Indeed Punch magazine quipped “Warter makes the wine and Wisdom sells it”.

Part of the bodegas (foto Kohya Nakase Ameblo.jp)

The firm owned 70 hectares of vineyard in the albarizas of Jerez Superior at los Tercios, near the sea, an outstanding area for Fino. This land provided an average of about 1,500 butts of Fino which were housed in the bodegas at Calle Pizarro, 7 in central Jerez. Much of the wine was latterly sold as BOB (buyer’s own brand) but some wines were also available under the Bodega name, such as Los Buhos.

Most of the well known brands are gone.....

Amontillados Paola, Royal Palace

Oloroso Merecedor 

Cream Wisdom's Choice  - still available at GB bodega shop

Manzanilla La Guapa

Finos Olivar, Wisdom, Los Buhos (The Owls) - the latter two available at GB bodega shop

Palo Cortado Tizon
Brandy Montado, Gran Reserva Wisdom and RC Ivison Gran Reserva

.....and what is now sold is a standard range of sous-marque blends. There is no website, nor any mention of the name Gonzalez Byass save for their RE number. Some wines are available in the USA under the name Wisdom & Warter (from Banfi), but have different labels. They are: Pale Fino (1908 solera), Extra Amontillado (1912 solera) and Delicate Cream (1902 solera).