7.5.14 Hidalgo Tasting; Award for Beltran Domecq; New bodega for Tradicion; Antique Fino

A tasting of Sherries by Hidalgo la Gitana took place the other day in the Corte Ingles department store in Jerez. It was led by the firm’s PR director, Miguel Gutierrez, and was well attended by the public.

Beltran Domecq Williams, president of the Consejo, has been awarded the “Personality” prize for his dedication to the promotion of Sherry by the magazine Mercados del Vino y la Distribucion.

Juaquin Rivero Valcarce, owner of bodegas Tradicion, which contains an important collection of art, has set up a bodega for the ageing of Fino in old bodegas in Rincon Malillo, in which there is a collection of old photographs showing the history of Sherry.

Antique Fino by bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla has been highly recommended and given 95 points by leading British wine magazine “Decanter” in its May edition. The magazine said “Thanks to extended ageing in oak, this powerful Fino is darker in hue than expected. There are signs of oxidation on the pungent salty nose, while the intense palate has layers of flavours with fantastic body and smoky roasted almond notes.”

29.11.12 Decanter Magazine Praises Sherry

Decanter Magazine, in its current (December) edition has given high praise to some Sherries. The article was written by Sarah Jane Evans MW, who knows a lot about Sherry, having written her MW dissertation on the Almacenistas. I can confirm that; I last met her at Vinoble giving a talk on Moscatel. She praises the following:

La Bota de Manzanilla No 32, Equipo Navazos

Manzanilla Pasada Cuevas Jurado, Lustau Almacenista

Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana, Hidalgo la Gitana

Puerto Fino, Emilio Lustau

Fino la Ina, Emilio Lustau

Fino Antique, Fernando de Castilla

Fino Perdido, Sanchez Romate

Amontillado La Bota No 31, Equipo Navazos

Amontillado Antique, Fernando de Castilla

Amontillado Vina AB, Gonzalez Byass

Oloroso La Bota No 28 Bota Punta, Equipo Navazos

Palo Cortado Viejisimo 1/5, Cayetano del Pino

Palo Cortado Vides, Lustau Almacenista

Palo Cortado Wellington VORS, Hidalgo la Gitana

Moscatel Emilin, Emilio Lustau

PX Antique, Fernando de Castilla

PX Noe VORS, Gonzalez Byass

I have tasted most of these, and will post my notes on those not already posted as soon as I can. They are all quite excellent, and you should stock up with them for Christmas!

Bodegas: Rey Fernando de Castilla

Lorenzo Cosme Andrada-Vanderwilde came to Spain in the XVI century as one of the Flemish knights accompanying Carlos V as he took possession of Spanish territories. For the last couple of centuries the family has been involved with the Sherry trade, establishing a small bodega in 1837.

In the 1960s the family bought an old Domecq bodega dating from 1794 (and which had housed the Fino La Ina solera) in the Calle Jardinillo and Fernando Andrade Vanderwilde, who had worked in the Public Relations department of Gonzalez Byass, bought the Marques del Real Tesoro Gran Reserva brandy solera in order to produce the "most select brandy in Spain". He launched it in 1972 and chose to call it "Rey Fernando de Castilla" after king Fernando the "Saint" of Castilla, who re-conquered a good deal of Andalucia from the Moors in the XIII century, and who observed that the local soils and climate were suitable for exceptional wines.

He was also involved with Sherry, top quality PX and vinegar. In 1999 he sold out to a group of investors which included Jan Pettersen, a Norwegian who had been working for Osborne for the previous 14 years. In 2000 they expanded the firm by buying the neighbouring bodegas of almacenista Jose Bustamante along with stocks. Pettersen is now the majority shareholder.

The firm has been very successful due to the quality of the wines, especially the Antique range. The Fino is unusual as it averages 8 years and is fortified to 17%. The rest of the range could be classified VOS or VORS but Pettersen does not believe in this system.

As well as fine Brandy which is always the product of pot stills, and certainly among the best available, they offer superb Vinegar and 3 ranges of Sherries (bottled for them by Sanchez Romate):

Classic: Amontillado Medium, Manzanilla, Fino, Cream, Moscatel, PX
Antique: Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado, Palo Cortado and PX
Hechizo: Young Moscatel, Young Pedro Ximenez
Fino en Rama

Visits? Yes, by previous arrangement
Contact: www.fernandodecastilla.com
               C./Jardinillo, 7 al 11
               11404 Jerez de la Frontera
               Cadiz, Spain