Born in Sevilla in 1852, Ricardo
de Valderrama y de Soto established his bodega at Calle Cañameros, 11 in Jerez
in 1908. He operated as an almacenista and exporter and two years later he
expanded the business to Calle Ferrocarril since it was more practical to be close
to the railway. This helped him build a thriving export business including the
United States.
His wines were of top quality,
many from important single pagos like Carrascal, Gibalbín and Valcargado, and this led
to him receiving Royal Warrants from King Alfonso XIII and the Infantas (princesses)
Doña Eulalia and Doña Isabel. Limited amounts of wine were sold under their
names like Jerez del Rey Alfonso XIII (solera 1886) and Jerez de la Infanta, and the wines were
promoted as “The Royal Sherries of Spain” – even though they were not the only
bodegas to hold a Royal Warrant.
He remained at this address till
1944 when at the grand old age of 92 he sold the firm to Rafael Ortega Valencia
who changed the trading name to his own and continued with the business as an
exporter. In 1953 the firm moved to Calle Frías and in 1963 to Plaza de
Aladro.
When Rafael retired in 1983 he
sold the firm to Rumasa which, only months before its expropriation by the Spanish
government, was still buying up bodegas. Sadly, things went downhill quickly and soon
the limited old solera wines dedicated to the Royal Family and beautiful litho-printed catalogues were gone and replaced
by basic commercial blends like Don Q.
The firm´s better brands were: Brandy
Parmentier, Brandy Doña Ana, Fino Coronel, Fino Puerta Real, Manzanilla Mari
Lola, Fino Valcargado, Manzanilla Pasads Valderrama, Jerez del Rey, Oloroso Carrascal
and Amoroso Gibalbín, Ponche Valderrama, Quina Virgen Blanca, Quina Nuestra Señora
de Anzaru.
