12.8.17 "Seasick" Palo Cortado Returns to Cádiz

Built in Cádiz in 1927, the Juan Sebastián Elcano, is a beautiful four-masted vessel used as a training ship by the Spanish Navy. In its 90 years it has sailed some 1.7 million nautical miles and docked in 71 countries. It returned on Saturday to its home port after a training exercise lasting nearly six months during which time it called in at Funchal, Las Palmas, Rio de Janeiro, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Valparaiso, El Callao and Charleston, acting as a sort of floating embassy.  Meanwhile an old bronze cannon dated 1801 was found in excellent condition in the water of the docks during routine works days before the ship returned, luckily it was not loaded.

The welcoming comittee (foto:DiariodeJerez)

Below the ship’s decks were two butts of González Byass Palo Cortado XC from the 1990 vintage selected by Antonio Flores for an experimental revival of the old tradition of sending wine on a sea journey to improve it. He described the wine as having “reached its peak, one step from glory” so it will be very interesting to see how it has turned out. It will be bottled in time for next year’s 500^th anniversary celebrations of the first circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan set out from Sanlúcar in 1519 with five ships, but only one made it home, captained by one Juan Sebastián Elcano. The wine will be called Palo Cortado XC De Ida y Vuelta (there and back); it is unlikely to be cheap however.

2.2.18 González Byass Revives East Indies Wine

In past centuries wines were sent as ballast in ships as long sea journeys improved them.  Now González Byass are reviving the tradition known as “ida y vuelta” (return trip) or “vino mareado” (seasick wine). Return journeys to the East Indies were once quite common and could increase the value of the wine five-fold.  The bodega has selected two butts of exceptional Palo Cortado which will undertake the journey aboard a Spanish Navy sailing ship, the Juan Sebastian Elcano, which was launched in 1927 and is used to train sailors. It was named after the captain of the only surviving ship of Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the globe, the quincentenary of which will soon be celebrated, and GB is paying homage to this achievement. Magellan is known to have taken lots of Sherry on his voyage. The Juan Sebastian Elcano will set sail from Cádiz on 11 February. The wine, simply known as Palo Cortado XC, and which oenologist Antonio Flores describes as having “reached its peak and is one step from glory” will be bottled after its return.