27.8.14 Fiesta de la Buleria; Alcazar Tastings

The XLVII Fiesta de la Buleria will take place on the 6th September in the Plaza Mamelon in Jerez, at the spot where the Vuelta a España (Cycle race) started. It was originally to be at the bullring. This year’s event will be free, and is dedicated to the famous local singer Juan Moneo “El Torta” who died earlier this year. There will be leading flamenco artists playing, including singer Remedios Amaya and guitarist Diego Carrascal.

El Torta painted onto a house in an art project from a year or two ago (foto reporterosjerez)

Grand tastings are to be held between the 3^rd and 13^th of September at the Alcazar as part of the Fiestas de la Vendimia. Seven bodegas will participate along with the excellent catering of Alta Cazuela to create a fantastic marriage of food, wine and flamenco. The bodegas are: Emilio Lustau, Harveys, Estevez, Aecovi, Romate Gonzalez Byass and Williams & Humbert. Oenologists from the bodegas will show all the main styles of Sherry, and there are two different menus depending on the type of Sherry being shown. The tastings begin at 20.30 and tickets are a very reasonable 25 euros, available from Bar Juanito or the Tourist Office.

Alcazar tasting (foto +Jerez)

11.8.14 Various Items of News

The cork harvest has begun in Andalucia, including in the Montes de Propio near Jerez. Total Andaluz production of around 3 million kilos of cork will provide temporary work for some 129,000 people. In the Montes de Propio, cork generates a fundamental economic base for the area, with a production of 650,000 kilos generating some 900,000 euros. Andalucia is the world’s second largest cork producer with 15% behind Portugal with 61%. Cork can only be harvested every 9 years or so, so this is not exactly a full time job, yet it requires skills with an axe.

(foto: +Jerez)

Famous bullfighter Fran Rivero and chef Jose Andres visited the bodegas of Luis Caballero in El Puerto de Santa Maria after the bullfight, where they were offered a glass of Sherry and the traditional opportunity to sign a butt.

(Fran Rivero 3rd left and Jose Andres 2nd right foto: +Jerez)

Jerez now has a tourist bus which takes visitors on a sightseeing trip round the city. The 45 minute tour takes in the Cathedral, the Alcazar, the Chuch of San Miguel, the Cloisters of San Domingo and various bodegas. There are 9 strategically positioned stops, and people can get on or off where they like. The service is run by City Sightseeing, an international company.

Jerez sightseeing bus (foto lavozdigital)

The XLVII Fiesta de la Buleria will be celebrated on the 6th of September at the Jerez bullring and will pay homage to the great Jerezano cantaor (Flamenco singer) Juan Moneo “El Torta”, a wonderful interpreter of the local Buleria, who died last year. There will be a fantastic bill with many top cantaores. Not to be missed if you are in Jerez.

(Juan Moneo Lara "El Torta" foto lavozdigital)

Sherry Vinegar is selling very well. While the first semester of 2014 has shown a 5% decline in sales of Sherry, vinegar has increased growth by 25%. Sales for the period were 2.4 million litres, a record, and much of the increase was in Spain.

25.8.13 Harvesting by Night

Many of the Sherry vineyards are being harvested at night. This is not a new phenomenon, but is comparatively new for Jerez. It means the grapes arrive at the lagares (press houses) in a cooler state and are therefore less prone to oxidation, and fermentations are easier to control. The grapes also arrive more quickly, and are more uniformly ripe.

The harvest has seen a technological transformation in recent years, and the familiar sight of innumerable teams of pickers has been drastically reduced. Hand picking grapes by day is extremely hard work anyway, as temperatures can be suffocating – well into the 40’s. Even the machines prefer working at night, as their engines and other mechanisms run cooler, and there are fewer breakdowns.

(Imagen Diario Jerez)

More than half the crop will be harvested mechanically. Many fewer people are even looking for work at harvest time now, though there are jobs for people to repair and service the machines, and to fix any damage they cause – which is not much, as the machines have been improving, and are quite sensitive to the vines. Naturally, some older vineyards which were not planted with machines in mind will need to be done by hand.

This year’s harvest should be over towards the end of next week – just in time for the harvest festival, and this year’s Fiesta de la Buleria, which begins at the bullring on the 7^th of September.

News from Jerez 8.9.12

The super tastings at the Alcazar have begun

The first event in the series took place last night with a menu proposed by Alta Cazuela – a catering firm run by two local chefs - and the wines of Grupo Estevez. Maribel Estevez, enologist of the bodega, put forward Fino Inocente, Amontillado Tio Diego, Oloroso Ermitano, Royal Cream and Moscatel Promesa to match pickled fish, partridge pate with caramelised onion, Barbate tuna steak and mixed mushroom risotto, among other dishes.

Saturday’s event features the wines of Williams and Humbert matched with a different menu from Alta Cazuela. Antonio Fernandez Vasquez Maeso, enologist at the bodega, will lead the tasting. He is offering Fino Don Zoilo, Amontillado Coleccion 12 Anos, Oloroso Coleccion 12 Anos, Canasta Cream and PX Don Zoilo 12 Anos.

Meanwhile at the bullring:

The XLV edition of the Fiesta de la Buleria kicks off tonight. This is an absolute must for Flamenco fans, the Buleria is indigenous to Jerez, and its greatest exponents are here. Some great names will be performing such as Jesus Mendez - said by some to have inherited the greatness of La Paquera  (a legendary singer who died some time ago); Juan Moneo “El Torta”and Tomasa Guerrero “La Macanita” among others. The leading dancer will be Mercedes Ruiz and the guitarists will be Ismael Heredia and Isaac Moreno. These are all flamenco stars from Jerez but are famous far beyond.

Tomasa "La Macanita"

The Cooperative Virgen de la Caridad regains control from Ruiz Mateos

The Sanlucar Cooperative has regained ownership of all the shares of Bodegas CAYDSA which it sold to Nueva Rumasa in 2009 for 12 million euros – of which only 800,000 was ever paid - and which was renamed Bodegas Teresa Rivero. After “laborious and complex negotiations”, mainly with the administrators, the Coop, which has 700 members, is now awaiting the rubber stamp from the courts which should come through “in a few days”.