Bodegas: M Gil Luque

The origins of this firm date to the end of the XIX century, but it took its current name after it was bought by Manuel Gil Luque in 1912. Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin, famous for their Manzanilla La Guita, bought Gil Luque in 1984. A number of small and very old soleras from Bodegas Fernando Carrasco Sagastizabal in C/ Rincon Malillo and C/Cordobeses were bought by M Gil Luque in 1995 and moved in 1998 along with their brandy, vinegar and other wines, to the new Gil Luque facilities in Viña El Telegrafo on the road to Lebrija, in Carrascal.  The bodega complex, containing 2,100 butts, was surrounded by 55 hectares of albariza vineyard, and the wine was made at bodega Pago de Miraflores and bottled at Pago Sanlucar Viejo, the 2 bodegas being now owned by La Guita. The old Carrasco Sagastizabal wines were sold under the De Bandera label.

In January 2007 Hijos de Rainera Perez Marin was itself bought out, by Grupo Estevez for 36 million euros.  Gil Luque’s De Bandera soleras were moved again, this time to a lovely bodega in El Puerto de Santa Maria which once belonged to Cuvillo. What with the various acquisitions made by Estevez, and the number of brands which that entailed, they have put the De Bandera wines on the back burner for the moment, but are looking after them. Let us hope they will be available once again! Meanwhile, the Leyenda range can be found occasionally.

Ranges:

De Bandera VORS : PX, Moscatel, Oloroso, Amontillado, Palo Cortado  These had a tiny output - only 600 botts of each per year

{Equipo Navazos bottled some De Bandera Palo Cortado as Bota Punta No 6 Palo Cortado, Saca Abril 2007}

Luque Classic: Sherries and Brandy (solera 1928)

Leyenda:  Oro Cream (12 years old & 70% olo 30% PX), Amontillado, Oloroso, Cream, PX

There used also to be a more commercial range called Deportivo