Bodegas: Bobadilla

Don Manuel Fernandez de Bobadillay Martinez was born in Arenzana, Logrono 1n 1852. He found his way to Jerez, he began exporting wines in 1879 and founded his bodega in 1882 in the Calle Cristal, 4, in the old monastery of Los Padres Mercedarios.  A beautiful building, it was full of patios with overhanging roofs with butts stacked below, and inside, many murals of harvesting and bacchanales. He bought 150 ha of vineyards in Balbaina and Macharnudo and soleras. One of the shareholders was the Marques de Misa. It didn’t take long for Bobadilla to become one of the best bodegas in Jerez. Don Manuel died in 1924, his wife Dona Maria Ragel y Rendon having predeceased him.

His descendants continued to run the firm, and in 1930 the name was changed to Bobadilla & Cia. In the vineyards they were progressive, Gonzalo Fernandez de Bobadilla developing a new clone of Palomino, Palomino 84, which gave a 50% increase in yield with no (apparent) loss in quality. They were particularly successful with their Brandy, however: 103 Etiqueta Blanca, launched in 1903, the older 103 Etiqueta Negra and the Gran Capitan, though the wines enjoyed a very good reputation.

Circunvalacion Bodegas (JL Jimenez/Jerez Siempre)

Towards the end of the 1960's the bodega moved to more spacious premises in the Carretera de Circunvalacion (s/n) - Bodega Don Manuel, and in 2009 the old C/Cristal bodega was converted into a columbarium. First of many bodegas to move out of the town centre, Bobadilla had seen the advantages: easier access for lorries carrying grapes in - and lorries with wine out. 

1987 the Dutch liqueur firm Bols made an offer for Bobadilla which was approved by the shareholders. But Alvaro Fernandez Bobadilla, until now a minority shareholder, made an improved offer, and bought almost the entire company for over 1,500 million pesetas, some borrowed from a Danish financier. At the time, the bodega employed about 200 staff and turnover was about 6,000 million pesetas. It also owned Detosa (Destilerias de Tomelloso) as well as distributors in Barcelona, La Coruna, Mexico, USA, and Belgium. There were also three vineyards, 150 hectares in total.

In 1989 Bobadilla merged with Naviera Arenas and Tomas Garcia SA becoming Bodegas Bobadilla SA, but control soon passed out of the family to the European Wine Company, 50% owned by United Dutch Holdings. The firm was launched on the stock market, making it an easier target. In 1992, it was taken over by Osborne, who, as brandy specialists, were principally interested in the Brandy 103. The purchase of Bobadilla helped Osborne become the biggest producer of Brandy de Jerez (42% of it).

Osborne Transferred all the wine (one solera dating back to 1809) and brandy to its own bodegas in El Puerto de Santa Maria, where a huge brandy complex (El Tiro) was built. The Bobadilla Sherries disappeared (what happened to them?), and the 103 Brandy now carries the name Osborne.

Complejo bodeguero El Tiro in El Puerto

In 2006, the Circunvalacion bodegas were converted into industrial units.

Some of the Bobadilla Sherry Brands were:

Manzanilla Carmen

Fino Victoria (Macharnudo)

Oloroso Capitan

Amontillado Alcazar

Cream La Merced
PX Romantico

Golden Sherry Eldorado

They also produced anis and vinegar, as well as the brandies

News from Jerez 25.7.12

At the first full meeting of the Consejo Regulador with Beltran Domecq as president, the harvest took up a lot of discussion. At the end of the meeting he underlined the consensus in matters on the agenda, in particular confirming harvest forecasts of a drop of 15-20% which in terms of grapes qualifying for DO Sherry represent a drop of 7-15% to about 52-62,000 butts. This was also confirmed by Cesar Saldana, director general of the Consejo.

Owing to the predicted deficit versus annual sales for which 85,000 butts are needed (23,000 more than the harvest will provide), messrs. Domecq and Saldana pointed out that the bodegas already have stocks of about 360,000 butts, enough to last for four and a half years. Given the balance achieved between planted vineyard and the bodegas' requirements, the Consejo is content with a modest rise in grape prices, although  it is really up to the growers and bodegas to decide between themselves.

As Beltran Domecq said, "The grapes are very important for Sherry, and a decent price should be paid in order to produce the level of quality needed for Sherry. The price has increased over last year's which was too low, and contracts for three years have been made with prices rising in each campaign." They will rise from about 27 centimos to 33 centimos, the price which the growers say is their break-even price, but the Consejo is hoping they will do their bit for stability.

The Sherry Towns: Jerez de la Frontera

The Jerez area has experienced human habitation since Neolithic times, though little is known of the people. The first settlement is thought to have been the Greek Tartessians somewhere about 3,000 BC. The Phonecians, marine traders from the Eastern Mediterranean settled here around 1,000 BC, bringing with them, it is thought, the grape vine. Later the area was colonised by the Romans who did much for viti-viniculture, popularising Jerez wine as far as Rome itself. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the Vandals arrived in the 5th century, followed shortly by the Visigoths. In AD 711 the Moors swept over from North Africa, remaining in the Jerez area till their defeat at the battle of Jerez in 1231. Alfonso X claimed the area for Castilla in 1264.

The Arab influence, lasting over 500 years was profound. It was a period of learning, science and the arts. They introduced pasas (raisins) and distillation as well as improving viticulture despite their Koranic beliefs. With the discovery of the Americas in 1492, Jerez prospered developing a considerable export trade and establishing Sherry as one of the world's best-known wines. During the XVIII and XIX centuries many now famous bodegas were established, laying the foundations of today's Sherry industry.

Today Jerez is a sizeable city of over 205,000 souls, making it bigger than the provincial capital, Cadiz. Apart from Sherry and its related industries, the economy relies on farming, cattle and horse breeding and tourism. The Rutas del Vino have been very successful, but there are many other attractions. The city boasts an international airport (La Parra); a world class motor racing circuit; a zoo; golf courses. The Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art is here as well as the Andalucian Centre of Flamenco. There is an excellent Archaeological Museum, and one of Clocks at the Atalaya.

The delightful timeworn atmosphere of the city centre is steeped in history and commerce. There are Moorish city walls and gates, the Alcazaba (Fortress), San Salvador Cathedral, the Renaissance Town Hall, various bourgeois palaces, and just outside town is the XVI C Cartuja. The medieval old quarter is full of tabancos (Sherry bars), old shops, and many of the older bodegas. There is a fascinating 1880s market, el Mercado Central de Abastos (known locally as la Plaza) and lots of lovely squares, such as the Plaza del Arenal with its statue of Miguel Primo de Rivera, and you must see the Teatro Villamarta, Spains first concrete building, almost Art Deco in Style.

Some famous people have come from Jerez:

Miguel Primo de Rivera, Spain's first Dictator
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, an early explorer in the Americas
Manuel Alejandro, a well-known songwriter
And various flamencos: Guitarist Gerardo Nunez, and the singers El Terremoto, Jose Merce, La Paquera
                                                                                                  Lola Flores, Rocio Jurado (actually from
                                                                                                  nearby Chipiona)

For good information: www.turismojerez.com or the local council: www.jerez.es

That includes the many Fiestas, some of which are listed below:

Carnaval - February
Pasarela Flamenca - February
Festival de Jerez - Feb-March
Semana Santa - Easter
Feria del Caballo - May
Fiesta de la Vendimia - September
Dia Europeo de Enoturismo - November

The Sherry Towns : Puerto de Santa Maria

Port Saint Mary as the British used to call it is situated at the mouth of the river Guadalete, 10 km north of Cadiz across the bay. A little steamer still runs this route. At one time there was a service up to Jerez but the river silted up and it was suspended in the 1950s. The town has a population of about 88,000 and a considerable area of vineyard, as well as being surrounded by important conservation areas forming part of the Parque Nacional Bahia de Cadiz. There are some lovely beaches too.

The foundation of the town is attributed to a Greek general, Menesteo, who coming from the Trojan wars set up camp and called the place after himself. Certainly Greek artefacts have been found by archaeologists. The Phonecians and Romans were also here, and the Moors who arrived in the early VIII century called the place Alcante or Alcanatif - port of salt - in reference to previous industries. Here, the last Visigoth king Rodrigo was killed defending his kingdom against the Moors. When it was recaptured from the Moors by Alfonso X in the XIII century he renamed it Puerto de Santa Maria, then conceded it a charter allowing it the privilege of being "El" Puerto de Santa Maria. Later the Castillo San Marcos was built. It is a sort of fortified Church built on the demolished remains of a mosque, borrowing stone from a nearby Roman building.

Throughout the middle ages the town made its living from fishing, salt and wine. Local lords the Medinacelis financed the first voyage of Columbus, and later voyages sailed from El Puerto. Juan de la Cosa, a local cartographer who was a pilot for the Columbus ships made the first Mapa Mundi here in 1500. The discovery of the Americas brought much wealth what with all the traffic to and fro Las Indias. In the XIX century the town played unwilling host to Joseph Bonaparte and his army between 1801 and 1812. 


Famous citizens  - apart from Juan de la Cosa - have been mainly bullfighters, bodegueros and flamenco singers, but Rafael Alberti the poet was born here. The most interesting local festival is the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the town and of fishermen on 16th July. The fishermen carry an effigy of the virgen on a boat out to sea then parade her through the town. There is also the Feria de la Primavera, the spring festival in early May, during the four days of which staggering amounts of Sherry are drunk. Then there are bodegas, the most important of which are laid out below:


          Osborne                                  Gutierrez Colosia                         501 del Puerto
      Luis Caballero                          Fernando A de Terry                       Juan C Grant
         Obregon                                        J Ferris

Bodegas Osborne

                                                                Castillo de San Marcos

Bodegas: Williams & Humbert

This famous firm was founded in 1877, the fruit of a romance. Englishman Alexander Williams went to Jerez to try his luck and for a while worked in a humble bodega job with Wisdom & Warter. He fell for a girl called Amy Humbert, also English though resident in Jerez, but his salary could never pay for a family and he begged his employers to help. After their refusal he decided to rent a warehouse and establish his own bodega, helped by Edward Engelbach, a banker with Coutts, and being joined later by Arthur Humbert, soon to be his brother in law. Arthur was expert in international relations, which proved very useful, and their first (modest) order came in from London that same year for 2 half-butts of fino. This is interesting since at that time it was mainly oloroso that was exported in any quantity.

As time passed the bodega was growing and exports increasing to such diverse places as Denmark, the Far East, Malaysia, Ireland and India. The firm now exports to over 80 countries. Williams was later knighted. In 1900 Carl Williams, son of Alexander,  introduced the "Sherry Girl" logo and in 1906 what is now their signature brand, Dry Sack, a blend of amontillado, oloroso and PX. The new century arrived, and in the 1920's they were involved in the establishment of the Consejo Regulador. For a while W&H owned Robertsons, a port firm in Oporto, but sold it to Sandeman, a Sherry firm also involved with Port. In 1920 the firm laid down a butt of wine in honour of the birth of a family member, and this became habitual meaning the bodega now has a collection of butts of vintage wine from every year since, now amounting to over 500.

Nowadays the company owns over 450 hectares of vineyard consisting of 2 plots, Las Conchas in the Balbaina, and Dos Mercedes in the Carrascal and they are experimenting with the production of Moscatel and PX. The bodega complex built in 1974 is also interesting, if rather industrial looking. Built by Rumasa for Bodegas Internacionales, it extends to 180,000 square metres (or about 25 acres, making it the biggest winery in Europe, if not beyond) and is constructed from interlocking reinforced concrete modules in the shape of inverted umbrellas. At the entrance is a large pond with two water spouts. Here ducks spend their days sometimes snapping at dragonflies. As is tradition in Jerez, visiting dignitaries are asked to sign a cask, and here you can see casks signed by the Beatles, the King and Queen of Spain, Queen Elizabeth II, Peter O'Toole...The "Sacristy" (where the oldest wines - most dating from foundation or before are kept) is named after Don Guido, or Guy Dingwall Williams who ran the firm till his death in 1959, (an old PX wine is also named after him) and is full of memories and tradition. Here too is a wine museum; it says a lot for the bodega managers over the years that they kept all the old equipment as it was replaced, though there is no shortage of room. 50,000 butts are stored here.

In 1972 the firm was bought by Rumasa and moved to the new modern bodega from their charming old bodegas mostly in the Calle Paul. Much of these remains, but their office building and one bodega (which stored the Pando solera) are now integrated into Hotel Los Jandalos, another bodega is now a museum of nativity scenes and another is a youth club. Rumasa was finally expropriated by the Spanish Government in 1983, as they dismantled its labyrinthine wrongdoings. It was then re-privatised in 1985 from the Patrimonio del Estado and bought by the Riojan entrepreneur Marcos Eguizabal, who sold it on to Luis Paez who were helped by Dutch supermarket chain Royal Ahold and sold to Jose Medina y Cia. in 1995. There were initial problems with the rights to the brand Dry Sack which the Ruiz Mateos family (of Rumasa) had tried to secure, but the Medinas have re-dynamised W&H and it is now one of the leading bodegas again, exporting 90% of the 9 million bottles of Sherry produced.

Jose Medina was established in 1971 by 4 brothers: Jose, Nicolas, Jesus and Angel Medina Cachero who worked in bodegas and wanted their own. Their business grew mainly from exports by means of collaboration agreements with various big buyers. In 1979 Royal Ahold agreed with them a partnership through an associated company, Luis Paez. This and subsequent agreements helped Medina consolidate becoming a leading exporter and they bought out Luis Paez, along with various brands such as Bodegas Internacionales and Gran Duque de Alba brandy. In 1995, with the purchase of W&H, they grouped all their businesses under one umbrella, W&H, and signed long term agreements to supply Ahold and its subsidiaries with Sherry. So now W&H is entirely Andaluz owned!

Since then they have diversified into table wines from other regions of Spain such as Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Rias Baixas, and local Palomino table wine (Estero). There is also Rum and a cream liqueur version of the brandy. Then there is Medina del Encinar, their own brand of fine cheeses, Iberico cured pork, and their own distribution company (Sovisur).

What with the scale of the bodegas, there is room for events, and all sorts can be arranged there, for example parties, weddings, conventions etc, there is an equestrian show and a lot more!

Range:

Manzanillas: Manzanilla Alegria, Collection Manzanilla,
Finos: Dry Sack Fino, Collection Fino, Don Zoilo, Fino en Rama Vintage 2006, 2009, 2012... Pando

Amontillados: Collection 12 Years Old, Jalifa VORS 30 years, Vintage 2003,

Blends: Dry Sack, Dry Sack Solera Especial 15 years

Palo Cortado: Dos Cortados VOS 20 years

PX: Don Guido, Collection PX 12 years, PX Cedro

Olorosos: Collection 12 years, Lacave, Vintage 

Sweetened olorosos: Walnut Brown, Canasta Cream,  Collection Cream

Sweetened Amontillado: A Winter's Tale, As You Like It

Also some old Vintage Sherries, mostly Olorosos

{Some old brands: Carlito Dry Amontillado, Cedro Medium Dry, Molino Manzanilla}

Visits

Yes, with advance booking

Contact

Address: Autovia Jerez-Puerto de Santa Maria, Km 641.7

11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Cadiz

Tel: (+34) 956 353 400

Web: www.williams-humbert.com

Bodegas: Emilio Lustau

One of Jerez's most prestigious bodegas, Lustau dates back to 1896 when it was founded by Don Jose Ruiz-Berdejo, a legal secretary who cultivated a modest vineyard in the outskirts of Jerez caled Finca Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza. Here he made and stored his own wines in a small bodega, and as such was an Almacenista. He would later sell the wines to the big exporting bodegas.

In the 1930s he died, and his son in law took over in 1940. His name was Don Emilio Lustau Ortega from Granada. He managed to combine a rather impressive military career with that of a bodeguero, deciding to move the bodega to the old Santiago area in the heart of Jerez. There, in historic buildings which formed part of the old Arab city walls, he set about slowly but surely building up the business - still as an almacenista. He also invested in more vineyards, in 1948 he purchased Pago La Guita in Balbaina and Pago Pino Fiel in Raboatun, followed in 1962 by Pago la Cruz de Usillo in Balbaina. Emilio began to export wines in the 1950s. In 1962 the company became an SA (limited Company) and his sons took over.

The company continued to expand during the 1970s, constructing new bodegas at the old family finca, then at the start of the 1980s, under the management of Rafael Balao Chilla (1933-93) it became one of the most innovative firms in Jerez. He felt Lustau should be at the forefront of quality, and what with its almacenista roots, he introduced the Solera Reserva range which comes from old almacenista stocks then added the Almacenista range, a series of beautiful wines from small almacenistas bottled by Lustau. Balao also revived the old tradition of Old East India Sherry, and released Vendimia Cream (now Lustau Anada) in 1992.

Luis Caballero, a Sherry, brandy and liqueur producer in Puerto de Santa Maria purchased Lustau in 1990. His Ponche Caballero is Spain's biggest selling liqueur. This added 170 hectares of vineyard at Montegilillo to the portfolio. In 2001 Lustau purchased 6 bodegas in the Calle Arcos from Allied Domecq totalling 20,000 square metres which were then restored, and in 2008 they purchased the great Domecq brands La Ina, Botaina, Rio Viejo Macarena and Vina 25 along with the appropriate soleras - 4,000 butts in all. Lustau now market over 40 wines, not to mention brandy and vinegar. They are now the Sherry division of Caballero which concentrates on spirits.

Their impressive list of products is as follows:

Solera Reserva Range:
Puerto Fino; Fino Jarana; Manzanilla Papirusa; Amontillados Los Arcos and Escuadrilla; Palo Cortado Peninsula; Oloroso Don Nuno; Creams Capataz Andres, Candela and Rare Cream Superior; Moscatel Emilin; PX San Emilio

The Domecq Range
Fino la Ina; Rio Viejo Oloroso; PX Vina 25; Botaina Amontillado; Manzanilla Macarena

Solera Gran Reserva
Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia

Especialidades
VORS Amontillado; Palo Cortado; Oloroso; PX
East India Solera
Seleccion Centenaria PX Murillo
Anada 1990 Oloroso Dulce

Almacenista Range
10 different rare wines from small almacenista soleras.


Visits? Yes, by previous appointment
Contact
Address: Calle Arcos, 53, 11402 Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz)
Tel: (+34) 956 341 597
Web: www.lustau.es