Back from Jerez: Part 3

The third important bodega visit was to Valdespino, probably the oldest of the Sherry houses, and in family hands until the fairly recent buy-out by Grupo Estevez. The family was losing interest in the firm however, and the bodegas were much in need of repair, so the buy-out could be seen as more of a rescue of the great soleras than just a corporate take-over. The Valdespino enologist Eduardo Ojeda also moved to Estevez.

In Jerez, when a  wine company is taken over the soleras normally stay put; all that changes is ownership. It is a very difficult and expensive thing to do to move entire soleras, but that is what Estevez undertook, and all the Valdespino soleras were moved to the Group's modern - 1990s built, but in traditional style -bodega complex on the outskirts of Jerez. The complex is roughly a square of four buildings: offices; laboratories, bottling and hospitality centre; Bodegas Valdespino and Bodegas Marques del Real Tesoro - which also house the soleras of Tio Mateo.

The Marques de Real Tesoro bodega

Now Eduardo Ojeda must be by far the most expert and the most enthusiastic ambassador for Sherry it ispossible to imagine - only more so! His passion is palpable, and infectious. Not only does he work for Estevez, but he also works for - and is a founder member of - Equipo Navazos along with Jesus Barquin. He has access to the Valdespino wines and also the Manzanilla Pasada soleras of La Guita in Sanlucar, also part of Estevez, and these form part of the ever growing range offered by Navazos.

Part of the Grupo Estevez laboratory

We began with a visit to the state of the art laboratories. Here, apart from testing wines, samples of all sorts of products are tasted, tested and developed, many for future sale in the Mercadona supermarkets with which Estevez work closely. We took a trip through the Real Tesoro bodega and ended up at Valdespino.

This huge bodega holds more precious treasure than the Tower of London! First we looked at the 2012 must which had recently completed its fermentation in butt - the norm at Valdespino. It was highly aromatic, rich and nuanced, with a surprising resemblance to a really good southern white Burgundy. Some of this wine will become Navazos Niepoort. Next we looked at the 2011, now fortified and already with flor. It too was delicious, and, as we progressed through the 10 criaderas the wines slowly came to resemble Sherry - Fino Inocente. It was fascinating to see how the wine develops. An absolute privilege.

Valdespino soleras at night

We went on to look at Amontillados, Pedro Ximenez - well lots of things - and then on to another highlight, the fabulous Moscatel Toneles. This must be the oldest moscatel around, nobody really knows, but speculation is anywhere between 100 and 200 years. The solera consists of one butt, as do the 5 or so criaderas. That solera butt has its bung sealed with a padlock! The wine retails at around 250 euros a bottle, and is worth every penny! It is phenomenal. See Tastings section.

I will be eternally grateful to Eduardo for teaching and showing me so much, and of course, I will be drinking -and recommending them - Valdespino and Navazos wines whenever I can. He very kindly dropped me in the city centre and I made my way home via the Plaza Plateros. This ancient plaza, full of tall trees which ring out with birdsong, was once home to the silversmiths. The attraction for me however, was the Tabanco Plateros. Here one can enjoy the famous and delicious Fino Sin Pecado (Fino without sin) made by the Cooperativa La Angustias (see Tastings) direct from the barrel and served in a chilled glass with some tapas and watch the world go by.

Plaza Plateros, the tabanco background centre