Bodegas: Marques de Misa

Manuel Misa y Bertemati was born in 1815 in Bayona in Galicia to a seafaring family of partly Italian descent. In 1840 he gained a doctorate in Law at Santiago de Compostela University, and promptly decided to join his brother Buenaventura (1802-85) in Jerez where the Sherry business was flourishing, and help him to open up the British market. In 1844 he joined with Buenaventura, who already had vineyards and a bodega established in 1840, and in a very short time, they enjoyed considerable success. 

After fairly extensive travel in Europe and America, he then decided to move to London, to assess the British market and make contacts, and in 1867 he married Helena Busheroy Blake. There they had a son and a daughter. During his time in London, apart from selling Sherry, he financed the establishment of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce there, becoming its first president. He also contributed to the construction of the catholic Westminster Cathedral, and he donated his Belgrave Square house, which was used as the Spanish Embassy, to the Spanish State.

In October 1873 – at the height of Sherry’s golden age – Misa exported 1,400 butts, and that is a record to this day. King Alfonso XII paid a visit, in 1882, accompanied by Queen Maria Cristina, their children and various high-ranking courtiers. This was a great honour, but then Misa was a massive enterprise.  In recognition of all he had done for Spain, the Spanish Crown honoured him in 1875 with the title Conde de Bayona, and in 1889 Marques de Misa with full grandee status. Jerez Town Council named a street after him and awarded him Hijo Predilecto (Favourite Son) status. He died 1904, and is buried in London.

The bodega business grew to equal the scale of Gonzalez Byass and Domecq. The huge bodegas, not far from the railway station, were mightily impressive. It was said that they occupied a whole neighbourhood whose streets and buildings totalled 50,000 square metres and were surrounded by a wall. Inside were 17 bodegas containing over 18,000 butts – some 13 million litres of wine – of 76 different types. There was a cooperage capable of producing 10,000 new butts a year and equipped with a steam engine, there was a still, there were patios. A railway connected to the main line and there were endless ancillary buildings: offices, counting house, private rooms and a sample room with 11,000 samples. it was an industrial village employing an army of workers. And as if that were not enough, the riches they contained were priceless: Solera Non Plus Ultra (Oloroso, 1815), Solera Royal (Dos Palmas, 1853) for example. The various bodegas had names such as: Lara, Badel, Fontan, and Bodega Nueva (2^nd biggest in Jerez). The firm continued successfully.

(Jose Luis Jimenez)

Then in the 1970’s it was bought by Rumasa, but was able to continue with its own brands, albeit now at the new BISA (Bodegas Internacionales) - the vast purpose built bodega complex which is now home to Williams & Humbert - to which its soleras had been transferred.  In 1979, however, Rumasa sold the bodega buildings – but not the name or the wine – to Harveys.  In 1984 the Government merged Misa with 5 other bodegas (Otaolaurruchi, Pemartin, Bertola, Varela, Diestro) for sale after the Rumasa collapse.

Misa is now a memory, another bodega ruined by Rumasa, and the only surviving product is the Marques de Misa brandy, which is now produced by Williams & Humbert. {The other 5 are memories too, with the exception of Bertola, which belongs now to Marcos Eguizabal, and is still in business}.

The important Misa brands were:

Amontillado Abolengo;  Fino Chiquilla; Oloroso La Novia; Gran Solera 1815; Reanejo; Waterloo; Royal Brandy

28.6.13 Master Awards for Sherry

At the inaugural “Drinks Business Fortified Masters” tasting, held at the Institute of Masters of Wine recently, over 100 worldwide fortified wines vied for medals. To qualify as a “Master”, wines had to achieve a score of 95/100 or more, and this was achieved by Port, particularly for old tawnies, Madeira, and of course Sherry. Then there were Gold (over 90 points), Silver (over 85) and Bronze (over 80) medals.

Highly experienced Fortified tasters

Bodegas Barbadillo of Sanlucar achieved two Masters, for their Palo Cortado Obisco Gascon, and for their Amontillado VORS. They also won gold for PX La Cilla and bronze for Manzanilla Solear. Other Sherry bodegas in the medals were: Fernando de Castilla Antique Oloroso – Gold, and Antique Fino -Silver; Hidalgo la Gitana Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana – Gold, and Manzanilla la Gitana – Bronze; and Gonzalez Byass with Silver for Tio Pepe.

27.6.13 Closure of Feria de la Manzanilla; Manzanilla Exhibition

In Sanlucar, the Feria de la Manzanilla has come to an end for this year, running from World Sherry Day (26^th May) till yesterday. Quite a Feria! Doors-open days at bodegas, tastings, guided visits, tourist routes, exhibitions, all – and more - have been on offer.

The official closure of the Feria took place yesterday in the tasting room of the Taberna der Guerrita with a round-table; “La Manzanilla, Tres Perspectivas:  Historica Enologica y Juridica”. Taking part were the historian and humanist Javier Maldonado Rosso, Beltran Domecq Williams and Cesar Saldaña Sanchez, president and director respectively of the Consejo Regulador.

Afterwards, the assistant deputy Mayor, Juan Marin, presented a commemorative tasting glass to Manuel Barba Saborido, winemaker of Delgado Zuleta, in recognition of his professional life dedicated to Manzanilla.

The municipal tourism officer, Antonio Reyes, said that it is fundamental to keep working to promote Manzanilla as a very important resource for tourism in our town. It is necessary, therefore, that everyone from tourism professionals to citizens themselves be aware of the value of our special wines. He finished by thanking all involved and especially Armando Guerra, owner of the taberna for his hospitality.

 Yesterday saw the opening of an exhibition of 40 bottles of Manzanilla from various local bodegas and quite a few posters for the Feria de la Manzanilla from the La Caña Association at the Hotel Guadalquivir, as a part of the activities organised by the tourism department for the Feria de la Manzanilla. Tourism councillor Antonio Reyes thanked Beltran Domecq for attending and Toñi Mata, director of the hotel, for providing the exhibition space. The exhibition will be open to the public till the 14^th July.

If Only....

A couple of weekends ago, 12,000 people were attracted to the 6^th Rioja Tapas Fantasticas event held in Potters Field Park, near Tower Bridge, London. This hugely successful event, sponsored by the Consejo Regulador of the Rioja, featured 14 local Spanish restaurants and 41 wineries showing 178 wines.

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if it could have been Sherry? No wine goes better with tapas than Sherry, but there is no budget for such events. We all understand the position the Consjo Regulador of Sherry is in, but at the end of the day, a decent marketing budget will do far more for Sherry than almost anything else. This should be the Consejo’s - and the bodegas' - absolute priority.

25.6.13 Trebujena Power Station; No Space Man for El Puerto; Gutierrez Colosia Tastings

At Trebujena’s municipal limits, a vast new solar power station is to be built. It is hoped that it will be completed by 2017, at a cost of 276 million euros which the solar energy company Tentusol will invest in the project. The photovoltaic park will generate 250 megawatts and cover an area of well over 600 hectares and consist of 90,000 solar panels. It will generate enough electricity to power 117,000 families, and reduce CO2 emissions by 456,000 tons. Over 70 jobs will be created.

A young man from El Puerto, Cristobal Nieto, who dreamed of going into space, has failed to pass the final test. He was one of 20 Spanish candidates chosen for a chance of a space trip by AXE Apollo Space. At the Space Jump test in Ibiza at the weekend, his score was just shy of what was required. He has thanked all those who supported him, (most of El Puerto!) and will have to wait for another chance.

Bodegas Gutierrez Colosia has organised new tutored tastings and guided visits to their bodegas. The events will take place on Thursdays, the 11^th and 25^th of July; the 8^th and 22^nd of August and the 5^th of September. A considerable range of wines can be tasted, and also, on the 25^th July and 22^nd August, they will include their brandies, Solera Amerigo Vespucci and Solera Gran Reserva  Juan Sebastian Elcano.

There is room for 30 people, and at the wine tastings, the price per person is (a very reasonable) 6.00 euros, while the price for the wine and brandy tastings is 9.00 euros. To make reservations, call the bodega on: (+34)956 852 852 or (+34)659 755 701(mobile). For more information see the website: www.gutierrez-colosia.com. The events are in collaboration with the town council of El Puerto and the Ruta del Vino y Brandy del Marco de Jerez.

Sherry Characters: Lorenzo Mesa

Lorenzo “El Gordo” (The Fat Man) Mesa was the capataz (cellar master) at Sandeman for over 50 years. He was also known as the “Mesa Redonda” (round table). Always wearing a jacket and self-taught, he rose from nothing to be in charge of the bodega.

He was born on the 5^th of March 1902 when Sherry was going through a period of prosperity. The bodegas were producing much better wines than they had been, but however good the wine, they were making good profits from brandy.

Lorenzo had a hard start in life. Many Jerezanos were tied for work to the bodagas, and his family was no exception. His grandfather Antonio was an arrumbador (one who moves butts and withdraws samples) at the bodega El Cuadro, Sandeman’s first bodega in Jerez, and it was there he lost an arm in an accident. Nearly all Lorenzo’s relatives worked in some capacity at bodegas.

When Lorenzo was ten, his father died, and he felt obliged to drop his studies and support his family. So it was that he joined Sandeman as an apprentice, following the capataz around every morning, sample jug in hand, watching as the wine fell accurately from the venencia into the glass for nosing. He would get involved with all aspects of the bodega work such as the trasiego (running the scales). He would note the expression on the faces of the capataces when they nosed a wine, he memorised the chalk cask markings they applied, and above all he worked hard to memorise all the aromas of the wines.

He became passionate about his work. When nobody was looking, he would grab a venencia and go along the rows of butts nosing them and copying the methods of the capataces. Later he would get involved with chocking the butts to position the bung hole uppermost. He had fallen in love with wine. It was thought that one day he would be a capataz. After only four days in the job, a fire destroyed Sandeman’s Bodega Grande. An ancient butt of oloroso was found in which the wine had been distilled by the heat and the alcohol had burnt it. This was a tragedy, but as in so many tragedies, there was a comic element. The whole town turned out to stem the river of wine flowing down the Calle Pizarro with pots and pans, and once the fire had been extinguished there was a massive party with warm spiced Sherry. Sandeman managed to find replacement wine and began immediately the reconstruction of the bodega in traditional style.

The capataz, Ramon Rodil, recognised talent in the boy. Lorenzo praised him; ”Rodil must have been born under a vine. He knew all the aromas and was very intelligent. It was he who taught me the aromas of the wine and how to classify it. Lorenzo’s enormous dedication was rewarded. In 1937, he was given the job of 2^nd Capataz. Now he began to visit the countryside, covering huge distances, getting to know the vineyards of all areas, including Sevilla, Huelva and Cordoba. In 1947 he was promoted to principal capataz, and he became the person you could trust; he was entrusted with wine purchasing, and his superiors often consulted him. He was now a consummate taster who impressed everyone.

Note interesting cask markings on these anadas (foto Diario Jerez)

In the photo, one can see the concentration on his face, his eyes are open, but he is not seeing, he is nosing without distraction, analysing every last nuance.This is the solemnity of a purely Jerezano act. He has just drawn the wine from the butt with his venencia, from deep down, below the flor, and withdrawn it rapidly to disperse the flor and prevent any getting into the cup of the venencia. He has then held the venencia aloft, and allowed the wine to cascade into his tasting glass, filling the air with its fragrance.

Lorenzo, one of his three children by his wife, Manuela Cornejo Blanco, tells the following story: “He had a solution for everything. One day it was noticed that some seventy butts of must, which had been stored in a part of the bodega which was shaded from the sun, were not fermenting. On the Saturday, he ordered the bodega to be closed and asked for some charcoal to be brought from the vineyards, which he distributed amongst the butts.  In three days, the temperature of the butts rose sufficiently for the fermentation to get underway.”

Lorenzo became a real personality in the bodega. Everyone loved and admired him. Even the Sandemans had to respect his wisdom. David Sandeman, who ran the Sherry side of the business from head office at Harlow in England, had special quarters for him at his office. And when Lorenzo reached retirement, his work was so highly considered and valued, that David Sandeman ordered that he receive his full salary till he died.

Lorenzo worked a full fifty years at Sandeman, and the day he retired, Jerez paid tribute to one of its finest. The bodega stopped dead. There was a morning mass for the workers; an official ceremony with the town council, at which the Mayor pinned the bronze Medal of Jerez close to his heart; an official banquet; and a gift of three bottles of Sherry to each and every worker. Two years later, El Gordo was awarded the Medal for Work Achievement and the Prize for Outstanding Producer, by the Junta Oficial of the Fiesta de la Vendimia 1967.

Lorenzo was not a man for fiestas and revelry. Neither was he one for heavy wines and brandy, and although he drank a bottle of fino every day, the “miracle” of Sherry ensured he had a long life.  He was a man who was open, generous, quite a character but with a big heart. The director Hugo Ungricht used to speak of him as “short, fat and intelligent, but with a heart which was so big it couldn’t fit into his body.” He weighed 120 kilos, but he never had a complex about it.

As a retirement gift, Sandeman invited him and his wife to spend a week in London, where he visited Harlow and took account of the care the English took with the shipment of barrels and their advanced and sophisticated technology.

For thirty years, through the offices of Hugo Ungricht and the Junta Oficial de la Vendimia, Lorenzo took charge of the setting up of the all-important lagar (vessel for treading grapes), an integral part of the annual Fiesta de la Vendimia, which he went out of his way to do. It was said he didn’t sleep, thinking how best to do it. The treaders all wanted to take part, even though it was a mule train taking the butt of must to the bodega of San Gines (the Consejo’s own bodega).

At 91 years of age, and surrounded by his family, Lorenzo died on 3^rd October 1993, in the bed to which he had been confined in his last years. But even from his bed, he was always asking visitors about shipping sales, the state of the harvest, or what was going on in the bodegas.

A Sandeman television advertisement from 1968 starred Lorenzo showing workers how to use a venencia, and can still be seen on You Tube. It gives us a smile, remembering a good man with a big heart.

Search “The people who blended it first” on You Tube.

23.6.13 Cork Harvest; Adriano; Luna de San Juan

The cork extraction season has begun in the Montes de Propio near Jerez.  The production of cork provides a fundamental economic base with a yield of 650,000 kilos of cork, which gives an economic yield of 900,000 euros.

Cork oaks (alcornoques) can only be stripped every 9 or 10 years, and the season begins on the 1^st of June. It is highly specialised and skilful work done by men using axes who cut the bark without damaging the tree, which is not easy. They are casual workers nonetheless, as the work is not available often. The cork stripping work follows previous work to clean up the hillsides from tree detritus, which not only gives the workers room to move easily, but helps to prevent forest fires.

The lengths of bark are loaded onto mules for transport to the yard, and from there, by lorry, to the factory. Here, the cork goes through an industrial process to produce wine bottle corks. The Montes de Propio were a gift to Jerez from Alfonso X “El Sabio” (the wise) in the XIII century, and comprise a number of fincas totalling 7,200 hectares in the Parque Natural de los Alcornocales. You drive through this lovely natural park when you approach Jerez from the south.

Adriano, the boat which takes people across the mouth of the Guadalete at El Puerto and the Bay of Cadiz, which sank at the quayside in Cadiz in 2011, is nearing completion of repairs. She should be ready at the end of the summer, 500,000 euros having been spent on her. While ashore, she will undergo some modifications to make her more of a tourist attraction, such as various salons for receptions, a bar and space for souvenir shops.

 La Luna de San Juan took place last night in the old part of Jerez. It takes place every year at ten o’clock on midsummer night until late, and is a fantastic festival of flamenco. San Mateo, La Cruz Vieja, Santiago and the Plaza de la Asuncion were the venues, and there were almost as many flamenco artists as members of the public and tourists enjoying the rythms on a decently warm night. The only downside was that many performances were taking place at the same time, something which needs to be addressed.

The Noche de San Juan is a christianisation of an old pagan midsummer solstice festival where it is traditional to burn fires. La Luna de San Juan is simply a flamenco festival which takes place on the same date.