Grupo Estévez feels
sure that the future of Sherry lies with the crianza biológica wines, the Finos and Manzanillas which
represent over half of total Sherry sales, not to mention Amontillados which
bring an added extra. In future the wines should focus on quality, value and
better use of the production of the vineyards, which would require “radical
change”.
At the Valdespino bodega yesterday the
company’s president, José Ramón Estévez, vice president José Antonio del
Cuvillo, and technical director Eduardo Ojeda, presented the first 100% Jerez
Finos, Manzanillas and Amontillados, wines fortified with spirit made from 100%
Jerez grapes. Estévez firmly believe that the future of the Sherry business
lies in a Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOC) where all raw materials must
come from within the demarcated area.
The wines presented were Manzanillas La
Bailaora and La Guita – normal and en rama – Finos Tio Mateo, Real Tesoro and
Inocente, and Amontillado Tio Diego in all of which the fortification spirit
came from 100% local Palomino, as did the spirit for the añada wines which are
still ageing. Currently most spirit comes from Airén grapes in La Mancha.
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| The presentation in Jerez yesterday (foto:diariojerez) |
According to the Estévez calculations 14,000
butts of mosto would need to be distilled to fortify just the Finos and
Manzanillas, and that amount would use barely half of the excess mosto from the
last harvest which closed with 124,000 butts of which 94,000 qualified for DO
Sherry. It would be better to use that and have 100% local production than
bring in spirit from elsewhere. Estévez has been encouraging the cooperatives
to incorporate a distillery as they have the space and also the overproduction,
and he is prepared to invest. The idea was presented to the Junta for possible
inclusion in the sharing out of ITI funds.
He quite understands that the bodegas are
reluctant to pay a higher price for local spirit when they can buy it cheaper
elsewhere. However alcohol prices in La Mancha have fluctuated dramatically –
many brands of brandy converted to spirit drinks when the price shot up due to
the withdrawal of EU subsidies, and it was much cheaper to use spirit distilled
from beetroot. Nonetheless he feels that the use of local spirit would give
more confidence to consumers through better traceability and better returns to
producers. Estévez wishes other bodegas would join his campaign and take a
longer view as this is a long term project to guarantee the future and deserves
a chance.
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