30.9.14 Update on Film on British in Jerez

Here is the latest on the documentary about the British in Jerez. Filming is currently taking place in Jerez. The motivation for the film was the city’s election as European City of Wine, and the project is in the capable hands of veteran Andalusian filmmaker Nonio Parejo.

The British have had a strong presence in the Sherry zone since the XV century, but especially in the XIX, leaving a profound mark not only on the wine trade, but also leaving certain customs such as clay pigeon shooting, football, tennis, polo and horse racing.

The British community had its own cemetery and a chapel, since most were English Anglicans, and a vice consulate was established in the XIX century.  Many of their names live on in one form or another: Garvey, Sandeman, Williams & Humbert, Wisdom & Warter, MacKenzie, Ivison, Terry, O’Neale, Gordon, Davies, Gilbey, Suter, Ferguson, Osborne etcetera.

Nonio Parejo (top left) interviews Jose Luis Jimenez (foto + Jerez)

It is surprising, however, that this aspect of the trade has not been studied in any depth, so the documentary will look at providing information with new contributions from experts, historians, researchers, historians, bodegueros and family members. Nonio Parejo will be counting on assistance from local academic and contributor to Mas Jerez, Jose Luis Jimenez.

This new documentary, which has a duration of an hour, is related to one Parejo made in 2009 called ”The English in Rio Tinto”. He began making documentary films in 1976 and has produced great work, above all his series dedicated to Andalucia for Canal Sur TV.

Translated from an article by Jose Luis Jimenez in Mas Jerez.

Amontillado 12 Years Old 18%, Bertola/Paternina

Appearance
Golden to light amber, legs.
Nose
Classic Amontillado nose: elegant with lots of hazelnut, slight hints of honey, vanilla and a trace of bitterness in the background relating to the flor, nutty gentle and persistent.
Palate
A well textured, well balanced friendly wine, dry with notes of honeyed nuts: almonds and hazelnuts, and American oak. There is that classic appearance of sweetness from the glycerol. Twelve years is no great age for an Amontillado, but this is genuine, elegant and attractive.
Comments
A well made wine, aged for three years as a Fino before being fortified to 17% and converting to Amontillado over 9 years in a five criadera solera, where it develops that extra degree of alcohol.
Price
£ ? Not widely available in the UK but imported by Peter Watts Wines of Coggeshall, Essex.

29.9.14 Gonzalez Byass Best Spanish Bodega & 6th inWorld

Gonzalez Byass has been voted best Spanish bodega and 6th in the World’s top hundred by the WAWJW. The World Association of Writers and Journalists of Wines and Spirits (WAWJW), which consists of journalists, authors, bloggers, and social writers from all over the world took account of GB’s successful results in many international competitions as well as the visitor experience, which demonstrate the bodega’s commitment to quality and sustainability, reflecting the birthplace of these great Sherry wines.

Add captionTourists visit GB (foto: reporteros jerez)

27.9.14 Delgado Zuleta Launch Table Wine

Bodegas Delgado Zuleta of Sanlucar has presented its new table wine, Viña Galvana. It is a white wine made from Palomino and Moscatel grapes and has 11.5% alcohol, which according to their oenologist, Salvador Real, “transmits light”. It is fresh, smooth and fruity with floral notes and well balanced acidity. Only 20,000 bottles will be available.

25.9.14 Jerez Triples Press Presence

Sherry has tripled its presence in the press in the first 8 months of this year compared to the same period last year. After monitoring 7,000 news items in 40 magazines and 96 newspapers, Sherry, which was the fifth Spanish Denominacion de Origen in terms of press presence, is now in second place with 10% of the total. This implies a monthly average of 10 million readers, and that only covers the printed press. Television has also been a big factor covering news of the City of Wine locally and nationally along with documentaries.

23.9.14 Sanlucar Students Tread the Grapes; Spain on Weather Alert

Sanlucar Students Tread the Grapes

Students of the school/workshop “Viñas de Sanlucar” have been treading the grapes at bodegas Caydsa under the watchful eye of provincial deputy Juan Jose Marmolejo. The students, aged between 16 and 25 are studying three modules: viticulture, winemaking and cooperage. Let’s hope they will keep up the good work of the current bodegueros.

Students learn the art of treading (foto:sanlucardebarrameda.tv)

Spain on Weather Alert

Half of Spain, 28 places in 13 communities, is on weather alert. Storms and heavy rain are predicted, and a tornado blew across the bay of Cadiz yesterday. This picture was taken at Puerto Real.

(foto:lavozdigital)

Oloroso VORS 20%, Bodegas Tradicion

Appearance
Mid depth amber mahogany with reddish tints through yellow to a touch of green at the rim, slow legs.
Nose
Absolutely pure Oloroso in its true sense - fragrant. And complex, yet so beautifully integrated it is difficult to separate all the aromas. Open, enticing, sweet and very nutty, hazelnuts, turron yema tostada, crema catalana and spices like cinnamon, vanilla and old butts and a trace of walnut in syrup, all that and amazingly fresh.
Palate
Nicely rounded with that sweetness carrying through round the edges balancing a touch of tannin from all those years in wood leaving the wine dry. Delicious, very nutty, and that cinnamon hint and glyceric almost marmalade and caramel sweetness provide a perfect counterpoint to the dry tannin and walnut shell bitterness in the background. Fantastic balance, very long and clean with a nice tangy finish leaving you yearning for more. And some old cheese and Jabugo ham...
Comments
Seriously fine old Oloroso from a 7 criadera solera established in 1850 by Agustin Blazquez, later taken over by Domecq, from whom it was bought in the late 1990's. Tradicion's capataz, Jose Blandino worked these soleras at Domecq and later joined Tradicion. The wine is of course well over 30 years (about 45 in fact), but 30 years is the highest classification available. At 20% alc/vol the strength is comparatively low for a wine of this age, presumably because of the higher than average number of criaderas and more frequent movement of the wine. This is from a lot of 1800 bottles.
Price
£ 58.50/75cl from Raeburn Fine Wines, Edinburgh who are UK importers.