Brandy Carlos I Solera Gran Reserva Amontillado 40.3%, Osborne

Appearance
Chestnut to mahogany fading to amber with gold and copper highlights.

Nose

There are aromas of oak and brandy-soaked wood, nuts too, like toasted almond and chestnut, then salted caramel which gives it a hint of sweetness which rounds off faint traces of old, possibly fairly astringent Amontillado, but the finishing can´t have been terribly long so there are only tantalising hints of this old wine, but enough to add complexity. Very attractive.

Palate

Full, almost rich, and beautifully rounded at first with a gentle sweetness - if anything just a fraction too much - then some toasted almond and hazelnut Amontillado character comes through along with a faint salinity. It is very smooth and characterful, no bitter tannins, with very good length.

Comments

This is one of two new additions to the range of Carlos I brandies from Osborne; this Amontillado and a Pedro Ximénez. The brand of course once belonged to Domecq and was established in 1889. It was named after king Carlos I (1500-58), who reigned during the early part of the conquest of the Americas, because its flavour was so good it also would be a conqueror. The range now has five versions. This one consists of Carlos I finished in  very old (over 100 years) selected butts from an old Amontillado solera "La Honda" established in 1857. The term "finishing" means that most or all of the ageing is carried out in the usual butts, but the brandy then spends a little extra time in really special butts to enhance its character even further.

Price

37.90 Licores Corredera

Brandy Felipe II Solera 36%, Agustin Blazquez

Appearance

Deep amber with golden highlights

Nose

Crisp and light in style yet reasonably aromatic with notes of cornflakes and wine, light on the oak - not the usual heavier Oloroso - more Amontillado with a light trace of honey and hazelnut. Really quite elegant.

Palate

Gentle caramel sweetness at the start then those corn and honey notes which balance with a hint of tannin giving character and good length. Open, straightforward and surprisingly easy drinking.

Comments

In the heyday of Agustin Blazquez, founded in Jerez in 1795, this was a leading commercial Brandy de Jerez. It was their basic brandy, above which figured Toisón de Oro and Anticuario, all of which, unusually for a Jerez based firm, were aged in bodegas in El Puerto. The firm was taken over by Domecq in 1973, and after Domecq itself was taken over, Osborne bought some of the brandies - Carlos I, Carlos III and Felipe II. In recent times this decent quality brandy has been converted into a "bebida espirituosa" sold at 30% and while cheaper, it is certainly not what it was. So it was sheer luck and a great pleasure when I chanced on this bottle of "real" Felipe II.

Price

13.50 euros/litre from La Mantequería Jerezana

Brandy Carlos III Solera Reserva 36%, Osborne

Appearance

Mahogany fading to amber with copper tints.

Nose

Forthcoming with notes of Oloroso and wood from the butts, vanilla and  traces of toasted nuts and pastry. Quite dry at the start but develops a hint of sweetness, clean and balanced with its production process clearly written on its sleeve.

Palate

A little sweetness gets it off to a friendly start then the distilled wine flavours come through followed by Sherry, a trace of dried fruits and vanilla. It is clean, fresh and moderately crisp while displaying a decent depth of flavour and good length. Tasty but not too intense, an excellent everyday brandy.

Comments

This is one of the old Domecq brands sold along with Carlos I to Osborne by Pernod Ricard after their take-over of Domecq and is one of the leading brands in Spain. The blend contains at least 75% holandas, the best quality spirit from pot stills as a Solera Reserva must. It is aged for about two years in a solera established in 1904 and consisting of butts which have previously held Oloroso. Two years sounds a rather short time, but the use of soleras gives more complexity than one might expect. Charles III ruled from 1759-1788 and was one of Spain’s better kings. He introduced the Spanish flag as we know it and the national anthem among many other things.

Price

10.75 euros widely available

13.2.16 Osborne Opens Restaurant/Shop

For the past few months Osborne has been converting one of their bodegas, the 2,000 square metre Bodega La Vieja, into a reference point for wine tourism in El Puerto with a shop, restaurant and space to hold lectures and tastings. They hope to open the new venture in time for summer and double the number of visitors. The firm feels that visitors to the bodegas can round off their visit nicely with a taste of local traditional gastronomy and to that end are employing well-known local chefs. The converted bodega will have access from Bodega La Mora but a separate entrance as well since it will be open longer hours. As Iván Llanza, communication director of Osborne, says proudly “when our visitor leaves, they will know about wine.” Restaurants are not new to Osborne, as they already own quite a few all over Spain promoting their wines and spirits and their famous Iberico ham, Cinco Jotas.

The old bodega at the corner of Los Moros & Comedias (foto:diariojerez)

13.12.15 Jerez Takes in Emperador Takeover

275 million euros is a lot to spend on a mere whim. The Philippine magnate Andrew L Tan has become the focus of attention since he burst onto the Jerez scene with the purchase of the old Domecq business. Outwardly the bodegas are pleased, but inwardly they are worried as nobody knows what he has in mind and all indications are that he is here to stay.

Many feel that his arrival could be the spur needed to re-inject vitality to the brandy business. Some of the bigger firms were thinking of removing their principal brands from the DO – which gives the brandy its nobility - so they could be sold cheaply as “spirt drinks”. The two bodegas which opened Pandora’s Box: Osborne with Veterano and González Byass with Soberano, have the most to lose.

Tan’s interest in Jerez brandy and in particular Fundador stems from way back. It is the national drink in the Philippines and Fundador is the brand leader. Tan visited Jerez 30 years ago to study how it was made. Later on the self-made millionaire established a commercial relationship with González Byass which he recently strengthened with a strategic alliance for brandy production. Those who know the workings of GB are convinced that the firm would have had serious difficulties staying at the top without Mr Tan and not without reason. He is their biggest customer and even before their joint venture was spending 100 million euros, equivalent to half their turnover.

The González family, who were aware of the progress of the negotiations to buy Domecq, had a meeting days earlier with Mr Tan, who assured them that their joint venture was not at risk, at least for the moment. Nevertheless the family is convinced that the magnate will, sooner or later, break the agreement to concentrate his efforts on Domecq.

Osborne is also on the alert. The firm has represented both the good and the bad in the brandy sector over recent years and has changed from being primarily a Sherry producer to a spirits producer with a large number of brands, some previously bought from Domecq. Osborne was the first to remove Veterano from the DO and at the same time reinforced their faith in Jerez brandy by buying up any well-known brand they could get their hands on. They felt that they had everything under control until the sudden appearance of Andrew Tan which might completely disrupt their plans. For now the Osborne brandies are dominant in the domestic and German markets, a position which Tan would be in a position to compete with if his objective, as the brandy sector believes, were to invest in Fundador and recover its prestige.

Those who have followed Tan’s career say that he is a patient man, one who believes in the longer term. The test will be when the apprentice became the master. Thirty years after his first visit to Jerez his Emperador brandy is the second best-selling alcoholic drink in the world with annual sales of 40 million 9 litre cases – almost 30 times the total annual sales of Brandy de Jerez and 10 times the combined sales of Jerez brandy and Sherry. Only time will tell whether Tan will be the spur so badly needed for Jerez brandy. If so the old Fundador slogan could be revived: “El coñac – ahora brandy – que está como nunca.” (The Cognac – now called brandy – is as good as ever.) This refers to the fact that for a long time Jerez brandy was known as Cognac - or "coñac" , until the term was outlawed.

Juan Haurie, a Smart Businessman

Jean Haurie Nebot (1719-1794) was the first Haurie to arrive in Jerez and founded what was to later become the most international of the Sherry houses, Domecq. Yet little was known about this Frenchman who left Bearn in France like his relations, the Domecqs, and appeared in Jerez in the early days of the XVIII century. It was known that he had a bakery in the Plaza Plateros where he also sold silks and linen. He was a friend of fellow bachelor and neighbour Patrick Murphy, an Irishman of poor health to whom he lent money and helped him with most aspects of his wine business.

Javier Maldonado Rosso, a doctor in History, has studied Haurie, who in a recent public exhibition is revealed to have had a privileged mind, an incredible eye for business, and more importantly he was the man who led the transformation process from traditional viti-viniculture of XVIII century Jerez into its modern form.

When Murphy died, Haurie inherited everything, and now found himself mostly in the wine business. He was very shrewd, and no business opportunity passed him by. He was a tenant farmer of fields of cereal belonging to the Jerez aristocracy or to the Catholic Church, and this was a gold mine as he practised a sort of agrarian credit, giving out money against the next harvest but at a lower than market price. He did business with Cosme Duff Gordon, the British Consul in Cadiz, whom he appointed as his agent in Britain.

Perhaps his principal contribution was to do with viti-viniculture. Haurie summoned from France his four Haurie nephews, Juan Jose, Juan Pedro, Juan Carlos and Juan Luis, as well as his Domecq nephew, Pedro Domecq Lembeye and together they established the firm of Juan Haurie & Sobrinos in 1791. The company progressed well until it later reached the hands of Juan Carlos, who not only brought the firm to bankruptcy, but brought shame and hatred on himself for siding with the French during the Napoleonic invasion.

Juan Haurie wanted for nothing. To complete his requirements, he acquired 70 hectares of fine vineyard, buying more year after year including some on a fine slope in the Macharnudo. He managed to integrate all the processes of production of Sherry with those of sales abroad, from growing the grapes to selling aged wine on foreign markets through his British agent. He was therefore a grower, bodeguero and exporter, something no one else had yet achieved.

It had not been easy, though. He was up against the Gremio de Vinateria de Jerez (Guild of Vintners) which fixed prices for grapes and wine, imposed export quotas and controlled wages, as well as prohibiting merchants from keeping large stocks. The idea was to keep profits in the hands of the growers, but all it succeeded in doing was to restrict the growth of trade until it was wound up in 1834.

Faced with this ridiculous system, Haurie proposed a new, liberal agro-industrial system: he defended and practised the production of finished wines, that is, wines aged and blended to the taste of the customer (which required large stocks). Furthermore he proposed the abolition of fixed prices, and the freedom to sell wine all year round – another Gremio restriction. The proposed new liberal system needed a new style of company capable of developing it. These were the almacenistas and the ageing and shipping bodegas.

Sharp as a tack, Haurie knew how to attract the support of others like him.  In 1772 he initiated the collection of signatures among the small growers who hated the Gremio. On the 5^th of May the following year Haurie took the definitive step, presenting to the Council of Castilla (effectively the government) a formal request for the Gremio to be wound up. This engendered bitter argument between the two sides and became known as the “Haurie Case”, recognising him as the main promoter of the cause against the Gremio’s restrictions. This earned him some respect and he was seen as a leader giving hope to the Jerez wine producing bourgeoisie. He and his supporters were known as “Juan Haurie and his accomplices”, committed to political action and participating in economic societies, becoming almost a political party and gaining considerable influence as representatives of the people.

Slowly the Gremio began to lose its powers. Haurie moved on. As a representative of the people, he set about improving the upbringing of foundlings, the improvement of conditions for prisoners and the speeding up of their prosecution, the exemption of citizens of the requirement to lodge troops in their homes, among many improvements. His greatest achievements, however were in the fields of business and politics because the transformation of the traditional viti-viniculture of Jerez was a state-level matter with international importance.

Haurie came out on top. A Royal Decree of 1778 liberalised the production and commerce of wine throughout the whole country, invalidating the ordinances of the Gremio. Thus, the modernisation of viti-viniculture in the Jerez area advanced rapidly as did the demise of the Gremio system, which was abolished finally in 1834.

Interestingly, some of Haurie’s wine still exists in the ancient soleras held by Osborne, who bought them from Domecq who inherited them from Haurie. These VORS wines are Sibarita and Capuchino, and are available commercially in very limited quantities.

26.5.14 Sherry Heads Andaluz Wine Sales; Vinoble; News from Osborne

The Sherry zone accounted for 86% of total Andaluz wine sales in 2013 according to newly published figures. 102 million euros was earned, 88 million of which came from Sherry. In the years 2009 to 2013, exports were up 5%. Principal markets were the UK with 38 million, the Low countries with 12 million and the USA with 10 million.

Vinoble 2014 kicked off on Sunday and runs till Tuesday, The weather is perfect and there are at least 160 Sherries to taste. There are wines from all over the world as well, so long as they are sweet or fortified.  Elena Viboras, the Junta’s minister for agriculture and rural development arrived to have a look and show support.  Lots of well-known bodega people were there, as were Beltran Domecq and Cesar Saldaña. It was really quite busy at times, but as usual the staff dealing with huge numbers of glasses were excellent. Let us hope this great event is back to stay.

Grupo Osborne has just opened the first branch of its tapas bar chain in Madrid, close to the Royal palace. It is called “Toro Tapas”. Osborne have also bought into the Brazilian spirit, Cachaca, an extremely popular spirit made from sugar cane.

Bodegas: Morgan

Originally from Tredegar in Wales, the Morgans had lived in London for generations. Aaron Morgan (1742 - 1818) worked in wine trade for Dixon & Langston, established in 1715 and originally called Houghton. In the early 1800s the name changed to reflect new partners: Dixon, Brett & Morgan; Dixon Morgan & Co. Over the years, Aaron ended up managing the company, amassing quite a fortune and passing it down the family line.

On Aaron’s death in 1818, his only son Thomas took over his share of the business, married Elizabeth Bonney, and Dixon left the firm. Soon Thomas’ sons would be involved. The firm, which had been specialising in Port, began to diversify into various wines, Madeira and Sherry. From 1835 – 40 the firm was called Morgan Saunders & Co, in 1841 Allen, Morgan & Co, then Thomas Morgan & Co, in 1845 Morgan Jun. & Ridge. Thomas’ son Francis moved to El Puerto de Santa Maria as the firm established a base in Sherry country. They also had a base in Vila Nova de Gaia to supervise their Port business.

Thomas Morgan and Thomas Jr. ran the business in London while in Spain Francis was to create a network of suppliers, overseeing production and export to avoid the need for intermediaries. As far as I can establish, they never had any bodegas, but shipped copious quantities of Sherry. Francis married Maria Manuela Osborne y Bohl de Faber (1827-94) in 1851, eldest daughter of that family which owned Duff Gordon, and was one of the biggest houses in the trade. Their youngest son, Francis(co) Xavier (1857-1935) became a priest, and for many years was the guardian and tutor of JRR Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings, whose parents had died early. Interestingly,Maria Manuela's sister cecilia  was a writer, under the pen name Fernan Caballero, and it is said there are allusions in Tolkien's work to hers.

Francis Morgan Sr & Jr in middle row, Maria Manuela on left

Morgan was always a fairly small but profitable firm with a good reputation for tawny Port, and Charles Dickens mentioned Dixon’s Double Diamond in Nicholas Nickleby. The firm remained in family hands until the 1950s, when Osborne took over the Morgan Sherry interests, and Croft their Port interests. When Diageo, owner of Croft, later sold it to Taylors, a stipulation was that they could not use the name Morgan, to avoid consumer confusion with Captain Morgan Rum. The last Morgan vintage Port decaration was the 1977. The Dixon’s Double Diamond brand is, however, still available from Quinta and Vineyard Bottlers, a subsidiary of Taylors, but the Sherry has long gone, last seen in the 1950s.

27.9.13 Three Jerez Bodegas in World Top 100; Mauricio Gonzalez Gordon Dies

Eight Spanish bodegas are among the world’s one hundred best of 2013 in a ranking by Wine and Spirit Magazine’s tenth “Top 100 Tasting Event”. Prizes will be awarded in San Francisco on the 15^th October. Naturally, bodegas from Jerez were included, notably Osborne, Pedro Romero and Valdespino.

The death has been announced of Mauricio Gonzalez Gordon y Diez in Jerez at the age of 89. Born at Hampton Hill, England in 1923, he was president of Gonzalez Byass till he handed over the reins to his son, also Mauricio Gonzalez Gordon.

Mauricio was the son of the legendary Manuel Maria Gonzalez Gordon, who, among other things, wrote the best ever book about Sherry. Milagros Lopez de Carrizosa y Eizaguirre, Mauricio’s wife died just recently. They had two children, Bibiana and Mauricio.

(Imagen Diario Jerez)

Mauricio was a well-educated man, respected in the Sherry trade, and had diverse interests, especially Nature and its conservation. He donated land for the establishment of the Coto Doñana National Park, where he liked to indulge in ornithology.

He was a Hijo Predilecto de Jerez, a member of the Gran Orden de los Caballeros del Vino, and held a gold medal for Oenological Merit, among many other awards.

Bodegas: Duff Gordon

James Duff, son of William Duff of Crombie and Elizabeth Dalrymple, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1734, and was shipping Sherry from Cadiz from 1768 as quite a young man. In the early days he bought his wine from Haurie, and later on was to buy some of his soleras when Haurie went bust in 1815. Duff was a generous man, and an enormous help to Thomas Osborne (1761-1845), advising and supplying wine initially and giving him storage for his own.

He never married and took on his nephew William Gordon (1772-1823), son of his sister Anne Duff and Alexander Gordon (of Aberdeenshire, the judge Lord Rockville), as a partner and inheritor in 1788. The firm was re-named Duff Gordon & Co. Their very skilled capataz, Johan Nicolas Bohl de Faber also helped Thomas Osborne who would later return the favour. On the 3^rd of April 1790, Duff was appointed British Consul in Cadiz, a position he retained till his death.

In the same year, another young Scot, George Sandeman, newly arrived in London, became his agent there until 1805, and again in 1818, by which time Duff Gordon wines were commanding top prices. In 1805, with business booming, Duff set up a London agency called Gordon Murphy, among whose employees were John James Ruskin (father of the writer) and one Pedro Domecq Lembeye. In 1809 the firm became Ruskin Telford and Domecq. For a while they also handled Haurie wines, but this proved rather undiplomatic, and soon ceased. Domecq later took over Haurie in 1818. Duff appointed Oliphants of Ayr as his Scottish agents in 1767.

Duff Gordon had brief dalliances with Madeira, leaving when Oidium destroyed the vineyards, and also Malaga Wine, but a longer one with Port. Sherry was always the main product of the firm, but their Ports had a decent reputation. All their interests in Oporto were, however sold by Osborne - -except the brand name - when they bought out the Duff Gordons. In the 1960's, Osborne established themselves in Oporto under their own name, and from time to time release a Duff Gordon Vintage Port, the latest being the 1994 (at time of writing).

 In 1813 Duff was awarded the first baronetcy of Halkin in recognition of his help to the British Crown during the Peninsular War. He did what he could for his countrymen, and also for the Spaniards, who had a wretched time under Napoleonic occupation, and for whom he had great respect. He died in 1815, having lived just long enough to see the final defeat of Napoleon, and was buried at sea off Gibraltar. William Gordon inherited the firm along with his uncle’s title becoming 2nd Baronet, changing his name to Duff Gordon with Royal Licence. In 1810 he had married Caroline Cornewall, but it was a short marriage, as he died in 1823. From 1807-1818 he held the seat for Worcester in the House of Commons. He was also a lavish spender.

Sir William Duff Gordon left two sons, Alexander and Cosmo, and their mother split their inheritance: Alexander got the title and Cosmo got the bodegas, but as he was still too young, she empowered Bohl de Faber to run the bodegas. As the family grew more remote from the business, Thomas Osborne began working more closely with Bohl de Faber, who moved the firm from Cadiz to El Puerto de Santa Maria, and in 1825 Osborne married his daughter Aurora.

By this time Duff Gordon wines had an enviable reputation and had many aristocratic customers. One was the American Diplomat Washington Irving, who wrote “The Conquest of Granada” while staying at a mansion belonging to Osborne. Irving sent wine samples to the Tsar of Russia who was so impressed that a solera was laid down to supply him: Oloroso Viejisimo del Tsar.

In 1833 Thomas Osborne and Cosmo Duff Gordon became partners, and ran the business, the more so after the death of Bohl de Faber in 1836. Thomas Osborne died in 1845 and his son, Tomas, continued. In 1856 DG exported 3,036 butts, putting them in 5^th place, but sales began to slip. In 1857 Cosmo retired leaving the Osbornes to run the business, and after he died in 1872 the family sold all its Sherry interests to them. In 1890 Duff Gordon was dissolved, but Osborne continued with all the DG brands from their original soleras and bodegas until 1890, and some up until the 1980’s when they disappeared altogether.

In his 1875 book “Facts about Sherry”, Henry Vizetelly describes the Duff Gordon bodegas in El Puerto. They were reached through a charming garden court bordered with flowering shrubs and fine old trees, geraniums and various climbing plants trained up the walls. The spacious shipping bodega contained 8,000 butts, neatly arranged, with various types of wine. Four other bodegas are devoted to the soleras, and one very fine oloroso had received offers of £400 per butt, which were refused. In the end there was a total of eight bodegas holding over 10,000 butts. Over the sample room door was the stuffed head of a bull which had apparently killed all the 11 horses in the ring.

The best-known of the Duff Gordon brands were: Fino Feria, Amontillado El Cid and Santa Maria Cream, Oloroso No 28, Pinta Pale Dry Cocktail Sherry, Nina Medium Dry. There was also brandy.

Interestingly, the 5^th Baronet, Sir Cosmo Edmund Duff Gordon (1862-1931), a prominent landowner and sportsman (a brilliant fencer), with a country estate at Maryculter, Aberdeenshire and his wife, the fashion designer Lucy Christiana Sutherland were among the survivors of the Titanic disaster in 1912. At the time it was thought they had bribed their way onto a lifeboat, but they were cleared at a Board of Trade inquiry. Lady DG had her own business known as Madame Lucille.

Lady Lucy Christiana Duff Gordon

                                                        

21.5.13 Osborne Profits; Ruta del Vino Logo; Lustau Win Gold; World Sherry Day

Grupo Osborne has announced its figures at the shareholder AGM for 2012, which show net sales of 222 m euros and a gross profit of 32.5 m euros, representing a 7% rise. The drinks side of the business contributed 78% of sales, principally brandy, anis, Rioja etc. The remaining 22% came from Iberico Pork and restaurants, which have seen growth of 50%. Unfortunately, Sherry was not a major contributor.

The Wine and Brandy Route of the Jerez area has a new logo. It was designed by Jose Antonio Chanivet, from Puerto Real. The logo was tiring and in need of a change, and this is a great improvement. La Asociacion de la Ruta del Vino y Brandy del Marco de Jerez, which covers all the main municipalities of the area, is composed of some 70 entities connected to enoturismo (wine tourism). These are bodegas, hotels, restaurants, bars, tabancos or wine shops, and they must all comply with the Association’s quality manual. The route is part of the official national system of Wine Routes, and is among the most popular.

Bodegas Emilio Lustau has won no less than 21 medals at the IWSC in London, considered the “Oscars” of the wine trade. They won half the medals available!

Their VORS Oloroso, Amontillado and Palo Cortado won gold, while the VORS PX won silver. Rio Viejo Oloroso, Rich Oloroso Anada 1997, PX San Emilio, Amontillado Los Arcos and the Almacenista Pata de Gallina also won gold. Three more Almacenista wines won silver: Amontillado de Sanlucar Cuevas, Amontillado del Puerto Cuevas and Palo Cortado Vides. Silver also went to Moscatel Emilin, Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia, Palo Cortado Peninsula and Puerto Fino. Fino La Ina, Amontillado Botaina, East India Solera and Oloroso Don Nuno all won bronze.

 The first World Sherry Day has now listed over 200 worldwide events in 23 countries taking place this week up to the day itself, Sunday 26^th. The town council of Jerez is looking at how to link WSD with next year’s Vinoble wine fair, along with – if it is granted – European City of Wine. Jerez is a candidate for this, and to that end has renewed its connection with Recevin, the European network of wine cities. The bodegas of Jerez are the most visited in Europe with 311,000 visits last year. To keep abreast of what is happening, follow these sites:

www.worldsherryday.com y www.turismojerez.com.

Bodegas: Bobadilla

Don Manuel Fernandez de Bobadillay Martinez was born in Arenzana, Logrono 1n 1852. He found his way to Jerez, he began exporting wines in 1879 and founded his bodega in 1882 in the Calle Cristal, 4, in the old monastery of Los Padres Mercedarios.  A beautiful building, it was full of patios with overhanging roofs with butts stacked below, and inside, many murals of harvesting and bacchanales. He bought 150 ha of vineyards in Balbaina and Macharnudo and soleras. One of the shareholders was the Marques de Misa. It didn’t take long for Bobadilla to become one of the best bodegas in Jerez. Don Manuel died in 1924, his wife Dona Maria Ragel y Rendon having predeceased him.

His descendants continued to run the firm, and in 1930 the name was changed to Bobadilla & Cia. In the vineyards they were progressive, Gonzalo Fernandez de Bobadilla developing a new clone of Palomino, Palomino 84, which gave a 50% increase in yield with no (apparent) loss in quality. They were particularly successful with their Brandy, however: 103 Etiqueta Blanca, launched in 1903, the older 103 Etiqueta Negra and the Gran Capitan, though the wines enjoyed a very good reputation.

Circunvalacion Bodegas (JL Jimenez/Jerez Siempre)

Towards the end of the 1960's the bodega moved to more spacious premises in the Carretera de Circunvalacion (s/n) - Bodega Don Manuel, and in 2009 the old C/Cristal bodega was converted into a columbarium. First of many bodegas to move out of the town centre, Bobadilla had seen the advantages: easier access for lorries carrying grapes in - and lorries with wine out. 

1987 the Dutch liqueur firm Bols made an offer for Bobadilla which was approved by the shareholders. But Alvaro Fernandez Bobadilla, until now a minority shareholder, made an improved offer, and bought almost the entire company for over 1,500 million pesetas, some borrowed from a Danish financier. At the time, the bodega employed about 200 staff and turnover was about 6,000 million pesetas. It also owned Detosa (Destilerias de Tomelloso) as well as distributors in Barcelona, La Coruna, Mexico, USA, and Belgium. There were also three vineyards, 150 hectares in total.

In 1989 Bobadilla merged with Naviera Arenas and Tomas Garcia SA becoming Bodegas Bobadilla SA, but control soon passed out of the family to the European Wine Company, 50% owned by United Dutch Holdings. The firm was launched on the stock market, making it an easier target. In 1992, it was taken over by Osborne, who, as brandy specialists, were principally interested in the Brandy 103. The purchase of Bobadilla helped Osborne become the biggest producer of Brandy de Jerez (42% of it).

Osborne Transferred all the wine (one solera dating back to 1809) and brandy to its own bodegas in El Puerto de Santa Maria, where a huge brandy complex (El Tiro) was built. The Bobadilla Sherries disappeared (what happened to them?), and the 103 Brandy now carries the name Osborne.

Complejo bodeguero El Tiro in El Puerto

In 2006, the Circunvalacion bodegas were converted into industrial units.

Some of the Bobadilla Sherry Brands were:

Manzanilla Carmen

Fino Victoria (Macharnudo)

Oloroso Capitan

Amontillado Alcazar

Cream La Merced
PX Romantico

Golden Sherry Eldorado

They also produced anis and vinegar, as well as the brandies

5.1.13 Students visit Osborne

1,800 students will visit Osborne’s bodegas in C/ Los Moros in El Puerto de Santa Maria to see how wine is made during their courses. The visits have been going on for a decade as part of the Council’s education programme, and are very popular. This year students from 17 schools and colleges will visit, totalling 61 groups, the first of which will be tourism students from the Juan Lara Institute. Students from 5 years old can also attend cooking workshops “Cooking is Fun”. The intention is to impart an understanding of food and wine as well as good dietary habits.

Bodegas: Osborne

Thomas Osborne Mann, a young English aristocrat, 8th Earl of Yalbourne in fact, from Exeter, Devon, arrived in Cadiz in 1772. He soon became associated with Lonergan & White, an established business dealing in wine and became friendly with Sir James Duff, a Scot who was the British Consul, and his nephew William Gordon, who were also involved with wine in El Puerto de Santa Maria. When Osborne began shipping Sherry on his own account, they allowed him to store it at their bodega, and a close business relationship began, with Osborne moving to El Puerto. Sir James died in 1815 and Sir William in 1823, whereupon Osborne became more closely involved in Duff Gordon and was made a partner by Cosmo Duff Gordon. In 1825 he married Aurora Bohl de Faber, daughter of Juan Nicolas Bohl de Faber, manager of the Duff Gordon Bodegas. They had five children by the marriage.

In 1854 Thomas Osborne died and his three sons, Tomas, Juan and Nicolas inherited the business, which was run on their behalf by their uncle Francisco Morgan until Tomas came of age, and duly became a partner in the business. It must have been thriving, for he paid for the construction of the town’s bull ring. Juan Nicolas went into the Diplomatic Service in various European capital cities, earning the title Conde de Osborne from Pope Pius IX in 1869. Indeed the firm received a warrant to supply the Vatican. On the death of Sir Cosmo in 1872, the Osbornes bought out the Duff Gordon interests. Tomas was succeeded by his son Tomas Osborne Guezala, who inherited the title from his uncle Juan Nicolas who died without issue, and ran the firm till his death in 1935.

Between 1935 and 1972 the company was run by Ignacio Osborne Vazquez, and during his stewardship the company expanded greatly due largely to the consolidation of its brands of brandy in the Spanish market, principally Veterano, whose legendary bulls have been seen on most Spanish hilltops since 1957, and whose 1960s marketing campaign is still remembered (Veterano tiene ESO). In 1952 the firm acquired the Sherry interests of Morgan Brothers. From 1972 to 1980 the firm was run by Ignacio’s brother Antonio, who was succeeded by his nephew Enrique Osborne MacPherson. He was in turn succeeded in 1988 by Tomas Osborne Vazquez, IV Conde de Osborne, and since 1996 his son Tomas Osborne Bamero-Civico and nephew Ignacio Osborne Cologan, have run the firm.

Nowadays Osborne is a huge company.  It owns nearly 400 hectares of (Sherry) vineyard, much in the Balbaina district of Jerez Superior, and fairly recently acquired the old Domecq VORS soleras as well as those of Bobadilla. It is Spain’s largest brandy distiller-in fact distiller. It makes Rives Gin, Ponche, various liqueurs such as Anis del Mono and what’s more they own many other companies, Rioja Montecillo, Bodegas Solaz in Malpica de Tajo (Castilla), Osborne Port, Cinco Jotas (some of Spain’s finest Iberico meat from Jabugo), various up-market restaurants and their own distribution company. Osborne is more of an empire than a company.

Main Sherry Brands:

The standard range is: Fino Quinta, Fino-Amontillado Coquinero, Olorosos Bailen and 10RF, Santa Maria Cream, PX 1827

Then the old solera wines: Amontillado Solera AOS (@25years old), Oloroso Solera BC200 (established 1864 and sold at (@40y.o.), Oloroso Solera India (@25y.o.), Palo Cortado Solera PΔP (well over 30 years old)

Domecq old VORS soleras: Sibarita Oloroso, Amontillado 51-1a, Capuchino Palo Cortado (originally Agustin Blazquez), Venerable PX

Visits ? Yes, you can visit the brandy plant, Jabugo, Sherry in El Puerto and the winery in Malpica.

Address:  Calle Los Moros s/n, 11500 El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz

Telephone: (+34) 956 869 100

Website: www.osborne.es         visitas.bodegas@osborne.es

A Rumour.......

I have had wind of a rumour that there are big moves afoot among certain bodegas. According to the rumour, Gonzalez Byass is buying from Osborne all their wine and Sherry brands, and Osborne is buying from GB all their spirit brands.

Any further information gratefully received!!

News from Jerez/El Puerto 17.10.12

Bodegas Osborne will produce over 2.7 million bottles this year

Osborne Communications Director, Ivan Llanza told Efeagro in an interview that although the harvest has been very small, the health and sugar level of the grapes is excellent. From the 6,000 remaining hectares of vineyard, 57 million kilos of grapes were harvested. Osborne own 200 hectares of vineyard in the Jerez Superior area of Balbaina where they grow principally Palomino but also PX, their oldest version of which was awarded 98 Parker points.

EU Reconversion plan will have little effect on Jerez

Of the 123 million Euros awarded to the Spanish Autonomies, Andalucia will receive about 5 million in the 2013 (and final) grant for reconversion and restructuring of vineyard. Vinegrowers in Jerez can pretty well forget any benefits this will bring due to a lack of plant stock and grafts at the nurseries caused by lack of demand due in turn to the uprooting of vineyards.

Growers should have applied by March for grants to change vine varieties or to upgrade vines from the traditional “en vaso” training to “espaldera” training for example, and the lack of plant stock impedes this. Oddly, however the nurseries have begun to increase stocks as some growers are needing them, but this will be too late.

Back from Jerez: Part 1

Just back from Jerez, and had a wonderful time, not surprisingly! I had only made three official bodega appointments, with the intention of taking things easily and getting at least some relaxation from my holiday, but that's not how it worked out. Inevitably. This is Jerez after all.

I had barely arrived and parked when I noticed an old house with a wall plaque announcing that the famous
                                                           singer Lola Flores was born here. Nearby there is a charming statue

 

     to her just outside the Centro Andaluz
     de Flamenco. The Flamenco legend
     Antonio Chacon is also remembered
     on another plaque erected in 1936 by
     the Republican Government. Further
     down the street, is the birthplace of
     another Flamenco legend, La Paquera.
     There too is a scruffy house with a plaque
     and at the end of the street, another
statue, one which really looks like her. I was in my element, my accommodation
was in the heart of flamenco-land as well as being very central. It would be a
wonderful thing to restore these houses and create museums, but Jerez is not
in a sound enough financial position at the moment - nor in the near future.

La Paquera

 Anyway I was here to see about Sherry, and my first appointment was the following day with Osborne in El Puerto de Santa Maria. The estuary-side town is a short drive from Jerez with a prominent bullring (built by Osborne).
The firm has two main bodega complexes here, one for the extensive range
of brandies and the other for the Sherries. This is where I met with Area Director Stanley Manski and Technical Director and Enologist Jose Ignacio Lozano. Real gentlemen both, we began with a discussion of the VORS
Sherries: Capuchino, Amo. 51-1a, Venerable and Sibarita, whose soleras
brands and bodegas were bought from Pernod Ricard when they disposed
of Domecq. These wines are all well over 30 years old and among the best
of their kind, coming from some of the oldest soleras in Jerez, yet have the
most astounding fragrance and elegance without much woodiness.

Jose Ignacio explained the tortuous lengths they have to go to to prove the wines' age to the Consejo and the amount of stock they need to have. The sacas (withdrawals from solera) are rare, perhaps annual, and so production is tiny despite demand. The wines sell in Scotland for about £35 and represent an absolute bargain. The bodega makes little profit, but the pleasure and value offered to the consumer is immense.

Our attention turned to the Venerable PX and the summer
phenomenon of the butts "weeping" (see right). It really does
look as if the barrels are weeping - all the staves of the butts
are being forced apart very slightly by the action of sugar in
the wine setting in the summer heat. This wine has nearly 500 grams per litre of sugar in it (all totally natural from the grapes
- or raisins) and as tiny amounts of almost solid PX ooze out
between the staves there is a fantastic smell but it can attract flies.
All this puts some strain on the butts, and the coopers need to
tighten up the hoops occasionally.

After an in-depth talk and tasting with the charming chaps at Osborne, to whom I am much indebted, it was time for a spot
of lunch, and I wandered down past the Gutierrez Colosia bodegas ( I confess I bought some wine - well, wouldn't you?!)
to the riverfront and found a typical local bar where I found just how well Osborne's Fino Quinta matches with olives and ham. Very well indeed!

Fino Quinta was followed by Fino Pavon from the other big bodega in El Puerto, Luis Caballero (owner of Emilio Lustau) and the Pavon was accompanied by more ham and olives. Delicious! After chatting with a few locals, thoroughly nice folk, and taking a few photos, I left the town with a distinct feeling of happiness and satisfaction.

A Sherry dinner at Bia Bistrot, Edinburgh

Recently I enjoyed one of the best dinners ever, not only because the only wine served was Sherry but because the food was quite excellent and married beautifully with the wines.

Roisin and Matthias of Bia Bistrot organised five courses and Mat and I from Drinkmonger organised the five accompanying Sherries, about which I had to say a few words. Encouragingly the dinner was sold out in no time, but did leave a disappointed waiting list. An opportunity for a repeat, hopefully!

Here is what we had:

On arrival
Mackerel wrapped in crisped serrano ham and grated courgette salad  with  Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa

Starter
Coley and brandade with a tapenade crust accompanied by Sanchez Romate Fino Marismeno

Main
Ayrshire pork fillet and cheek "mojo picon" with Lustau Almacenista Vides Palo Cortado

Cheese
Corra Linn and Lanark Blue, fig and almond wheel, Lustau Don Nuno Oloroso

Dessert
Walnut cake and butterscotch ice cream, Venerable PX VORS Domec/Osborne

So if you're having friends round, why not try one or more of these very successful marriages? If you are in the Edinburgh area, I can't recommend Bia enough. There is a friendly, quietly competent atmosphere. They have a website: biabistrot.co.uk

PX Venerable VORS 17%, Domecq/Osborne

Appearance
Black almost to the rim of the glass, through burnt umber, amber, to yellow, very viscous.
Nose
Intense and complex: dried dates, raisins, figs, traces of licorice, Marmite, musty old barrels, coffee, treacle, molasses, hint of alcohol, concentrated and beautiful.
Palate
Viscous and surprisingly tangy, some savoury elements, loads of treacle toffee and coffee, something dry there too, lovely texture - almost like eating pasas (PX raisins) - that dried grape pulp feel, hints of burnt coffee, an immensity of nuances. Oh yes, sweet! Very, very sweet, yet balanced by the dry burnt flavours and that tanginess. Finish lasts forever but not too cloying. Lovely.

Comments

From a solera laid down by Juan Haurie in 1790 and bought by Pedro Domecq in 1822. After the break-up of Domecq, the solera was acquired by Osborne, who bottled this wine. It is officially VORS - i.e. over 30 years old - but tastes much older than that. It is exquisite! And SO cheap for what it is!
Price
£33,95 from Drinkmonger, Edinburgh

News from Jerez 22.5.12

Grupo Osborne has announced its results for 2011 which appear quite encouraging given the crisis in Spain. (If only George Osborne was so efficient!) Turnover was 207 million Euros which represents a drop of 16.5% due to the sale of the Solan de Cabras water and juice business, without which it would have grown by 6%. Moneys received were used to halve bank debt, and the Osborne family who still control the company bought back 15% of the shares from Solan de Cabras. Sherry and brandy account for 71% of turnover, of which 19% was export. Spirit sales in Spain showed a surprising rise of 12%. All in all great results for the times.

If only their Sherries were available in the UK!