Cream 1886 18%, Infantes Orleans Borbón

Appearance

Deep mahogany fading to an amber rim.
Nose
Quite serious with a nice integration and balance between the Oloroso and PX. There are aromas of old barrels, traces of exotic woods but principally oak, spice and decent Oloroso with more muted notes of raisins and dates. It smells a little drier than it is.
Palate
The fruity PX notes are more to the fore followed by those of the Oloroso with some sweetness coming through, but it is not excessive and finishes fairly dry, just what a good Cream should do. There is a decent grapeskin texture and a gentle grip, and the palate is left with flavour like a faint trace of coffee and fine oak rather than cloying sweetness.
Comments

The Duc de Montpensier, son of the French King and (failed) pretender to the Spanish throne fell in love with Sanlúcar when he visited Andalucía in 1849. He later planted the famous Torrebreva vineyard but rented it out. It wasn't till 1943 that his descendants set up a bodega, in the impressive stables of the Duke's palace. They had bought old soleras and the wines were good, but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be much happening these days. 

Price
10.95, De Albariza

The Montpensiers, Benefactors of Sanlúcar

A French prince and father of a queen, Don Antonio María Felipe de Orléans y Borbón Dos-Sicilias, Duke of Montpensier (1824-1890), was never able to achieve what most historians refer to as his obsession: to be King of Spain. The closest he got was his marriage to the infanta Doña Luisa Fernanda de Borbón (1832-1897) at the royal palace of Madrid in 1846, a double political alliance since Luisa’s sister, Queen Isabel II of Spain, married her cousin, Don Francisco de Asis de Borbón at the same celebration. Isabel continued to rule Spain, but Antonio would spend most of the rest of his life there, residing in Sevilla and their great discovery, Sanlúcar, where they spent long summer seasons and became symbols of prosperity for the town and its inhabitants.

Antonio, Luisa and Maria Isabel

Don Antonio was the tenth son of Louis Philippe I of France and María Amalia de Borbón Dos-Sicilias. He arrived in Andalucía in 1848 after a revolution which ousted the Orléans in France, and it was the Spanish government, rather than Don Antonio and Doña Luisa themselves, which decided they should reside in Sevilla, away from Madrid, as it was aware of his pretensions to the throne.

Doña Luisa took an interest not only in Sevilla and its surroundings but in the other towns of Andalucía. So on the 11^th November that year they set off on a trip to Cádiz and its seaports, sailing down the Guadalquivir from Sevilla to Sanlúcar, where they were greeted with a spectacular civic reception. Since the local council could not afford this, funds were raised by popular subscription. Everyone contributed to the substantial costs, but it would prove to be an excellent investment as Don Antonio was much taken by the town, which became his favourite place for holidays.

Palacio Orleans Borbon (foto:minube,com)

In the summer of 1849 the Montpensiers stayed at finca El Picacho, and their influence and presence in the town were obvious from the start, creating a perfect symbiosis between the townsfolk and the royals. In times of unemployment they found ways to provide work like in the very hard winter of 1855, and also supported the poor, but above all they made the town into a summer residence for the aristocracy and bourgeoisie of Sevilla and Cádiz, putting Sanlúcar firmly on the map. In return the town was faithful to them and unshakeable in its affection. The Montpensiers’ greatest legacies were the Palacio De Orleans, a magnificent house they built in a marvellous mix of architectural styles with beautiful gardens, now the city council building, and the purchase of the botanic garden, for which they provided a water supply.

Sanlúcar benefitted in many more ways however. The transport service between Sevilla and Sanlúcar on the Guadalquivir increased greatly during the summer months, and this required works to improve navigability and the quayside at Bonanza which were carried out by the Guadalquivir Navigation Company, of which Don Antonio was a major shareholder. He was also involved in the improvement of the roads to Jerez and Chipiona and the arrival of the railway. He persuaded the government to extend the mail service to Sanlúcar, and this began in 1852.

Back in 1845 a group of distinguished Sanluqueños had created the Society of Horse Racing of Sanlúcar de Barrameda to promote the Andaluz breed of horse which was very useful in agriculture. Don Antonio, a consummate horseman, lover of horses and owner of one of the best stables in the south of Spain immediately joined up and helped to promote the society, which still holds the races on the beach to this day. He also attracted visitors from other royal houses such as Eugenia de Montijo in 1853, the King of Portugal in 1856 and Queen Isabel II in 1862.

In 1943 descendants of the Montpensiers established Bodegas Infantes de Orleans Borbón in Sanlúcar which are still in business though now owned by Barbadillo. Over the years the family had a profound and beneficial effect on the town, even though Don Antonio never realised his dream. Alfonso de Orleans Borbon realised his however, establishing a motor racing team in 1999.

Translated from an article by JM Aguilar in La Voz Digital

Oloroso Fenicio 20% Infantes de Orleans Borbón

Appearance

fairly deep mahogany with bright copper highlights and perhaps a trace of green at the rim, legs.

Nose

Full, forthcoming and full of nuts: toasted almonds, hazelnuts and chestnuts with an attractive tangy glyceric sweetness, a hint of caramel and real charm with traces of toast, American oak and the slightest Sanlucar bite. A complete and sophisticated nose which really draws you in.

Palate

Delicious from the start, this is what Oloroso is all about with oak, nuts and a delightful balance between savory, implicit sweetness and gentle phenolics. There is a slight tannic feel, and the wine suggests greater age than it actually has. Dry but well balanced with lots of flavour and length and a slightly salty tang at the end..

Comments

This is an excellent Oloroso aged for 15 years in the heart of Sanlucar. It really embodies the meaning of the word "Oloroso" (fragrant). Infantes de Orleans Borbon is owned and run by Barbadillo, so you know the wine will be good. Fenicio means "Phoenician" and is perhaps a reference to Sherry's origins. Well worth seeking out.

Price

20 euros from Er Guerrita, Sanlucar

Bodegas: Infantes de Orleans Borbon

The title of Monpensier was one of the noblest in France. Antoine Philippe Marie Louis de Orleans, Duc de Monpensier (Neuilly 1824 – Sanlucar 1890) was the son of the French King Louis Philippe of Orleans (the last King of France) and would surely one day be king of Spain. To this end, a marriage was arranged in 1846 between the Duc and the Infanta  Maria Luisa Fernanda de Borbon (1832-1897), daughter of Fernando VII and younger sister of Isabel II who was married to the Infante Francisco de Asis de Borbon. Frustrated in his kingly hopes by his sister in law, the Duc devoted his energies, and immense fortune, to conspiring against her.

Two years later, because of their political views, he and the Royal Family were obliged to leave France after it became a republic in 1848, and decided to go into exile in England, but what with political problems there, the Duc and his wife decided to move to Spain, the country of the latter's birth. He took out Spanish nationality. They lived in the Palace of San Telmo in Sevilla, where he held what he hoped would be an alternative court to that of Madrid. He never achieved his ambitions, and suffered further periods of exile in Portugal and the Balearic Islands, but did at least get his daughter Mercedes married to future king Alfonso XII.

Logo: the coats of arms of Orleans (L) and Borbon (R)

The Monpensiers found Sevilla unbearably hot during the summer months, and in 1849 visited El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar, and were so impressed with the latter that they decided to build a summer house there, complete with a 220 hectare sporting estate in Torre Breba where they could spend the summers in a more bearable climate. Since the wines of Sanlucar were very fashionable, the Duc planted some vines in the Finca Botanico, and a few years later he converted Torre Breba itself to vineyard, which he rented to an Englishman and important bodeguero of the day, Richard Davies.

The house they built  in Sanlucar was a palace, the Palacio Orleans Borbon, designed in the Mudejar style, surrounded by beautiful gardens and with a large stable block known as the Caballerizas de Orleans Borbon where many horses and carriages were housed. The upper floor housed the estate workers. The palace itself, which is now the seat of the town council, can now be visited and its many rooms and patios are used as wonderful venues for weddings and other such events.

The old stables, now the bodega

In 1943, the Duc's descendants, the Infantes de Orleans Borbon, Alonso (de Orleans Borbon), the Duke's grandson and Beatriz (de Sajonia Coburgo – or Saxe Coburg in English), granddaughter of Queen Victoria and of the Tsar of Russia, saw the potential of the vineyards and decided to go into the wine and brandy trade, and established the firm, always with quality in mind. The bodegas were situated in the old XIX century stables and now contain some 8,000 butts.

At first, the family had little to do with the making and marketing of the wine, which was left to Barbadillo, who owned 50% of the firm. In more recent times, however, the family has taken back control, and the vineyards are owned by Compania Agricola Torrebreva SA, a family-owned company, and they are making and marketing the wines themselves, aided by a fancy new website. Meanwhile, the Duke's great great grandson, Alfonso de Orleans Borbon established the successful motor racing team Racing Engineering in 1999, based in Sanlucar.

The caserio (vineyard house) in Torrebreba

The range consists of:

Manzanilla Torrebreva (5 years old); Oloroso Fenicio (15 years old); PX Carla (15 years old); Palo Cortado Virrey (15 years old); Amontillado Ataulfo (15 years old).

There is a Brandy Gran Reserva at about 20 years old, and a Peach Liqueur made from peaches steeped in the brandy to an old recipe brought by Beatriz from England.

Visits? Yes, by appointment
Address: Calle Baños,1, 11540 Sanlucar de la Barrameda, Cadiz

Telephone: (+34) 956 849 002

Web: www.biob.es