Ruth Rendell and Sherry

The famous novelist Ruth Rendell who sat in the House of Lords and who won countless awards for her murder mystery books died recently aged 85. Like any civilised person she was a Sherry fan. In no fewer than 23 books she refers to Sherry, using the type of Sherry preferred as a character trait: Oloroso, Amontillado, Dry, Cream, and even specific brands: Bristol Cream and Tio Pepe. 

Many thanks to Jose Luis Jimenez for his research.

18.4.15 27 More Sherry Educators; Giant Tio Pepe Bottles; Feria de la Manzanilla 2015

The XIII Sherry Educators course has come to a successful conclusion. Over the15th, 16^th and 17^th April, 27 people participated: restaurateurs, wine educators, sommeliers and wine journalists from all over Spain.

The title “Formador Homologado del Vino de Jerez” requires professional candidates who have a high level of wine knowledge, as in practice they are an extension of the Aula de Formación del Vino de Jerez, the education side of the Consejo Regulador in destination markets, and thus ambassadors for Sherry.

Some of the Educators doing the right thing (foto:+jerez)

An intense programme on winemaking with seminars, tastings and vineyard and bodega visits was undertaken to obtain this prestigious title. The course which takes place twice annually, is regarded as one of the best of its kind.

Two Tio Pepe bottles 2.58 metres high have arrived to greet travellers at the duty-free in Madrid airport terminal 4 and 4 satellite. The bottles are made from expanded polystyrene, wood and polyurethane resin and are unmissable.

Tio Pepe in action (foto:lavozdigital)

The poster for this year’s Feria has been presented by the mayor of Sanlúcar, Víctor Mora alongside the artist who created it, Mikel Urmeneta. The Feria will be celebrated from the 2^nd till the 7^th of June.

The mayor (l) with the artist and his poster (foto:sanlucar.tv)

17.4.14 Apostoles Wins Prize; Tio Pepe Sculpture

Apostoles Palo Cortado VORS from Gonzalez Byass has won the prize for Best Fortified wine in the fourth edition (2014) of the “Wine Guide” of the magazine Semana Vitivinocola. 1440 wines were tasted from 344 bodegas and 62 wine regions, but out of only 37 fortified wines GB’s Apostoles received 97 points, the highest score of any fortified in this edition of the guide.

The new Tio Pepe Statue for the Tio Pepe roundabout in Jerez should be in place by the 15^th July. It will be 9 metres high and built from stainless steel which will be “patinated” to reflect the Tio Pepe colours. Chiqui Diaz, the sculptor is delighted to be building a “monument to a monument” that is the Tio Pepe symbol on a roundabout on the Avenida Tio Pepe.

News from Jerez 15.8.12

Some good news for a change. A shop in Barcelona called 24 Kilates (carats) was selling a limited edition of 60 pairs of the Japanese Asics trainers bearing the Tio Pepe logo. They turned out to be so popular that they are now fetching nearly 600 euros on e-bay.
If only the Sherry was so popular....

News from Jerez 21.7.12

The international and influential travel website Trip Advisor has awarded a certificate of excellence to Bodegas Tio Pepe based on marks awarded by visitors. This represents important recognition for the bodega which has invested much in "Enoturismo" (wine tourism), and comes in the 200th anniversary year of the birth of the bodega's founder.

News from Jerez 17.6.12

Jerez's annual Fiesta de la Vendimia (Harvest Festival) will take place from the 11 -16 September. The festivities start with the Fiesta de la Buleria (a Flamenco Festival) on the 8th, and on the 11th the symbolic treading of the grapes at the Cathedral. Many other events follow such as tastings and a gastronomic fair from the 12th - 16th - which was so successful last year it is now extended to 5 days. There is also a programme of sport, equestrianism, exhibitions, special bodega visits, and more still to be arranged. The Mayoress, Maria Jose Garcia Pelayo noted that last year's event was as good as usual despite a saving in costs of 60% due to the crisis, and hopes that this year more private business would be involved in this magnificent opportunity to promote Jerez and all it stands for. This is well worth attending.

 Meanwhile in Madrid, the Tio pepe sign has now been offered accommodation on various buildings in the Puerta del Sol, and negotiations are ongoing. They have full local and regional government support, and in only a week the online supporters have received 26,000 signatures. The Puerta del Sol was yesterday the scene of a demonstration by the "national association of supporters of Tio Pepe forever in Puerta del Sol" which was slightly marred by scuffles with francoist opponents.

News from Jerez 14.6.12

Gonzalez Byass has launched a new i-Phone and Android application which lets you match the Sherries they produce with 12 different international cuisines. It is called Tio Pepe & Food , and is available in either Spanish or English. You have the opportunity to try 1800 combinations - you choose a dish and the app shows you the ideal wine to complement it - AND a more daring alternative. Each page gives you tasting notes, the degree of the wine's sweetness and tasting advice, along with 12 international recipes. The app is very easy to use and showcases just how versatile Sherry is with food.

News from Jerez 11.6.12

Two items today:

Firstly, the mayor of Jerez, Maria Jose Garcia Pelayo has announced that the council will shortly approve a resolution to name a section of the N-IV Cadiz-Madrid road after Tio Pepe. It will be called Avenida Tio Pepe in recognition of the brand's promotion of Sherry, its sponsorship of the annual Horse Fair and its attraction to Jerez of so many visitors. Gonzalez Byass is Europe's most visited winery.

Secondly, after the embarrassment of the last president of the Consejo Regulador being imprisoned (albeit not for anything related to Sherry), the need for a new president is becoming urgent. This person will ideally be suitable to all parties of the Consejo: the bodegas, the grape growers and the cooperatives. The successful candidate should have the following qualities: be respectable, acceptable to all parties, have plenty of local experience, know how to represent all interests, have a sound commercial understanding, speak at least one foreign language (as 75% of Sherry is exported), have skills in dealing with both local and national government and manage to achieve the best consensus. The director, Cesar Saldana has done a good job as acting president, but the position needs to be filled soon.

Tio Pepe Fino 15%, Bodegas Gonzalez Byass

Appearance
Fairly pale, bright, strawy gold, legs.
Nose
Noticeable Flor, very fresh with slight salinity, hints of straw, dried flowers and light Palomino fruit.
Palate
Very dry, quite low acidity yet slightly tangy with just a trace of bitterness from the Flor, very clean with good length, and certainly stimulates the appetite. Unashamedly dry, for real Fino aficionados.
Comments
A classic. No nonsense, ultra refreshing and wonderful with tapas. The world's biggest selling Fino, not surprisingly, and very good despite the scale of its production. It came from an original solera laid down in 1849 with three criaderas and a solera but which has grown to 22 soleras containing some 21,750 butts housed on two floors of Jerez's only three storey bodega and various other bodegas too - there are eight in Las Copas. The wine therefore has to be a blend from the various soleras. So there's plenty of scope for wine for the Tio Pepe en Rama, and indeed the Una and Dos Palmas.

Manuel Maria Gonzalez Angel, the founder, named the wine after his uncle (Sp: tio) Jose (pet name Pepe) Angel y Vargas, who encouraged him to make Fino. Uncle Jose often visited and advised his nephew and had a key to the bodega, and being from Sanlucar, he expected Manuel to have some Manzanilla for him. Manuel did this and this Manzanilla formed the basis of the Tio Pepe solera.

Price: £9-10  Available everywhere.