24.7.15 Grape Prices; Culture in El Puerto; Racing & Flamenco in Sanlúcar

Sherry grapes are the cheapest in Spain

A very interesting article in today’s Diario de Jerez by Á Espejo

The wine business in Jerez is going back to its old ways. The first soundings between growers and bodegas to establish supply and price agreements for the forthcoming harvest show a decrease in price for the Palomino, by far the most cultivated grape. After the truce in recent harvests which ended with rising grape prices, the first DO in Spain, now 80 years old, appears condemned to be at the bottom of price tables and earn the title of the cheapest grapes in Spain.

The bodegas are holding surplus stocks to avoid shortages over future years and the increase in value of Sherry in recent times has not compensated for falling sales, a trend for many years now which shows no signs of changing in the short term. The demand for grapes therefore is low and is concentrated in a few bodegas who are pressurising growers to reduce prices which are already barely profitable and moreover insisting on quality in the fight to recover Sherry’s lost prestige.

Sherry harvest (foto:Vanesa Lobo/diariodejerez)

The big bodegas own sufficient vineyard to cover their requirements with Estévez doubling their holdings over recent years and González Byass reactivating planting rights with a view to the restructuring of some of their vineyards which, after some years of rest are in production again. Furthermore, many small and medium sized bodegas have been left in a very difficult position as a result of both the economic crisis and the sales crisis to the point where in order to survive they have been selling finished wine to bodegas in a better position and thus occupying the place of defunct almacenistas.

In this context the growers have very few choices except Barbadillo, the biggest buyer of grapes – although a lot goes for the production of the table wine Castillo San Diego – who have let it be known that they will pay one céntimo less per kilo this year which equates to a price drop of 2.7%. Last year the growers suffered a drop in price of 7.7% making the price over 10% less than 3 years ago.

Worse still, the growers have to face paying the levy on grape production reintroduced this year by the Consejo after the increase in the levy on bodegas for Sherry sold. By this means the Consejo was able to increase its budget by 50% for generic promotion. The levy producers have to pay was re-introduced after the recuperation of prices in previous years: from €0.24 in 2011/12 to €0.39 in 2013/14. Nevertheless the situation began to change last year with the first drop in prices and this is threatening to repeat itself.

Fernando Cordoba, Manuel Lozano and Angel Leon at the bodega

The Castillo de San Marcos in El Puerto was the scene of the announcement of this year’s Ciclo Cultural, an up-market gastronomic event organised by Luis Caballero. There will be three events, on the 6^th, the 13^th and the 20^th of August. The first two will be led by Manuel Lozano, chief oenologist at Lustau and recent winner for the 7^th time of the best fortified winemaker award at the International Wine Challenge. The third will be led by two of Andalucía’s most outstanding chefs: Fernando Córdoba of Restaurante El Faro who specialises in food from the land, and Ángel León of Restaurante Aponiente who specialises in food from the sea. Both restaurants are in El Puerto. There will be plenty of Sherry expertly matched with outstanding food. Places are limited and tickets can be bought at www.ticketea.com

This year’s horse racing on the Piletas beach at Sanlúcar will take place on the following dates: 12, 13 and 14 August then 26,27 and 28 August. A total of 85 horses are registered in this, the 170^th year of these historic and wonderful races.

Horses on Piletas beach (foto:VictorLopez/lavozdigital)

This year’s Noches de Bajo de Guia flamenco festival will take place in the gardens of the Palacio Municipal on the evenings of the 21 and 22 August. Pride of place will be given to local artists and this year it will not be a competition as before. The Palace was built by the Duc de Monpensier whose descendants established the bodega Infantes de Orleans Borbón and now belongs to the city council.

A new festival is being prepared for Sanlúcar. The I Feria del Langostino will celebrate the local seafood and in particular the famous local langostino. A date has yet to be fixed.

22.3.15 Williams & Humbert Completes its Sound Track

In the 1970s the famous Jerez flamenco singer Fernando de la Morena created a signature song for the bodega's Fino Pando accompanied by Moraito Chico on the guitar. Forty years later Williams & Humbert has made this piece more complete with the voices and accompaniment of of a younger generation of singers from Jerez. Juan de la Morena, son of the original singer, along with various other artists of today participated in the new production, which is a kind of brand sound track.

The musicians and brands in action at the bodega (foto: + jerez)

Not only that, but the bodega has gone a step further putting music to some of their other brands: Gran Duque de Alba brandy, Crema de Alba, Gin Botanic, Dos Maderas rum, Manzanilla Alegria and Canasta Cream. Eduardo Medina Garcia de Polavieja, the bodega's national marketing director commented: "These artists really knew how to transmit the essence of our brands in each of the songs, from the elegance of Crema de Alba to the carribean/jerezano character of our rum. We believe that a good way to enjoy a drink is with good music, and that is what we wanted to offer our consumers." All the songs have been recorded onto a CD which will enhance to perfection the enjoyment of each one of the Williams & Humbert brands.

Flamenco!

Any aficionado of Sherry is drinking a wine from Andalucia, the home of Flamenco. This ancient, exciting and moving music is, perhaps slightly alien to non Spanish people, but its sheer depth and passion will leave nobody unimpressed. Jerez itself is the home of the Buleria style. I am a massive flamenco fan, and urge you to watch a recently broadcast BBC programme about it. You can find it on BBC i Player by searching for "Flamenco: Gypsy Soul". Pour a glass of Sherry and watch!

La Paquera de Jerez (imagen tristeyazul)

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