1.7.15 Sherry Cask Fever

The Spanish Patents and Brands Office (OEPM) has blocked an attempt by a bodega in Huelva to “appropriate” the use of the term “Sherry casks” along with derivative terms such as “Amontillado cask”, “Oloroso cask” etcetera for which the bodega had sought registration, thus legitimising what the Consejo Regulador in Jerez considers as fraud.

José y Miguel Martín, a bodega in Bollullos del Condado in Huelva, wanted a legal framework by which the distillers who buy their seasoned casks could use these terms on their labels, terms which are protected under the Denominación de Origen (DO) Jerez and which are experiencing a growing prestige in the markets, and which distillers naturally want to use.

A cooperage in Jerez (foto:Vanesa Lobo/Diario Jerez)

The bodega has decided to appeal the OEPM decision and has also registered at the Jerez Consejo, but this step does not give them the right to use protected terms unless from now on they buy Jerez grapes for seasoning and submit to a voluntary process to guarantee traceability.

This Sherry cask fever is growing along with increasing whisky sales and the Consejo has taken steps to increase vigilance and control of a rapidly expanding business, one which has aroused the interest not only of Jerez producers, but also those in other DO’s in Andalucía such as Condado de Huelva and Montilla-Moriles.

The Jerez Consejo is already a long way down the line with the process. Having obtained the backing of the Agriculture Ministry, they have held discussions with those who season casks and who voluntarily want to sign up for the new register for this activity which would authorise the use of terms such as “Sherry cask” on the labels of spirits aged in them.

The Consejo has some allies in the form of leading whisky distillers such as the Macalllan, who requested the establishment of a certification which guarantees the use of the term only when the whisky is aged in casks seasoned with Sherry. According to César Saldaña, director of the Consejo, the intention is to run with the voluntary system which does not oblige anyone to submit to the process, but which can restrict certification. The Sherry Consejo supports a brand with a valuable reputation which inevitably attracts fraud, and the use of Sherry casks for the ageing of whisky must therefore be regulated.

7.6.15 New Campaign Against Bag-in-Box

After various meetings with the Ministries of Consumption and Agriculture the Consejo Regulador has launched a joint informative campaign to persuade the pouring trade and consumers against the use of Bag-in-Box (BIB). They hope to achieve this by persuasion rather than risk confrontation.

The Reglamento (rules of Sherry production) states that only glass bottles can be used for Sherry with the Denominación de Origen (DO), so BIB is therefore illegal. Many producers have got round this by selling wine in this format by de-classifying it from the DO, and many bars and restaurants use it for price and convenience reasons.

BIB from the Cooperative at Sanlucar

Not everyone agrees with the Consejo’s and particularly Fedejerez’ stance which has steadfastly refused to consider any container other than glass. After all wines such as Montilla-Moriles and many others are commonly and legally sold in this format. At the last plenary meeting in May, the Consejo noted that there had been a rise in the fraudulent use of BIB, above all in Sanlúcar where there have been instances of BIBs used to refill screen printed bottles given to restaurants and bars by bodegas.

It is worth remembering that BIB is not a legal container and so will most likely contain wine which is not DO, and any Sherry-related terminology on the label is not legal either thus misleading. Nonetheless, BIBs are good sellers; the Consejo estimates that a million litres were declassified for sale in BIB last year, but they can only estimate, as this format also makes nonsense of official figures.