5.3.16 Espinosa Family Buys Díez Mérito; BIB Handbag

The Espinosa family of Jerez has bought the Díez Mérito bodegas from the heirs of Marcos Eguizábal for an undisclosed price. Long connected with vinegrowing in Jerez and with connections to the cooperative Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, they have bought the bodegas Bertemati and El Cuadro between the Calle Diego Fernández Herrera and Calle Porvenir as well as the production centre on the Morabita road. The company will now be known as Viñas y Bodegas Díez Mérito and the 16 members of the workforce will be retained.

The patio of the Bertemati Bodega

According to Salvador Espinosa, family spokesman, they have bought 1 million litres of wine and 0.8 million litres of brandy along with some high quality vinegar. This historic old company had been languishing despite having famous and top quality Sherry brands like Fino Imperial, Victoria Regina, Bertola and Pemartín and Conde de los Andes Brandy. The deal includes the brand Otaola which is a range of Pacharán and herb liqueurs. The Espinosas want to put the brands back in the market position they deserve to be. Diez Hermanos was established in 1876 and in 1979 took over Marqués del Mérito who owned the beautiful Bertemati bodega. Díez Mérito was in turn taken over by Rumasa and after its collapse the Riojan businessman Marcos Eguizábal bought the firm along with Bertola and Paternina in 1985.

A new up-market bag-in-box aimed at women has been launched. The Vernissage BIB is disguised as a designer handbag and holds one and a half litres of French wine – but there’s no room for anything else unfortunately. It comes in three designs and costs a rather expensive £30 from online retailer Firebox who will be hoping to cash in on Mother’s Day. Don’t tell the Sanlúcar rebels!