First of all, I would like to clarify that the Sherry Wines are not wines that are only produced in Jerez de la Frontera. They are wines that are born and grow in the valley of the Guadalquivir river, lashed by the winds of Levante and Poniente, and bathed in the Cádiz sun. They are called Sherry Wines since everything started there and that is their Certificate of Origin (D.O).
But the truth is that they are made in many locations of Cádiz province. The best known are Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. These three localities are the ones known as “The triangle of Sherry”. But we must not forget Chiclana de la Frontera, Chipiona, Puerto Real, Rota and Trebujena. These, together with the previous three, are “El Marco de Jerez” and are the official places where we will find good wines (D.O).
They are the oldest wines in the world. Some documents prove that the Phoenicians, around 3000 years ago, were the ones who introduced the vine in the province of Cádiz and began to make these magnificent wines. And they have been improving since then. Even in the Muslim era of Al-Andalus, this drink was consumed … although they did it with the excuse of its medicinal benefits (I can imagine the number of visits to the doctor to prescribe a glass of Sherry!… It’s well known that A Sherry a day, keeps the doctor away).
The name has changed over the centuries and has embellished this drink of gods with history: From the Phoenician Xera, passing through the Arab Sheris or the Christian Xeres, without forgetting the great passion for the Sherry of the English, we arrived to The Jerez of today. A wine with personality that does not only accompany meals but decorates them, dresses them, enhances them and even sweetens them.
Despite being wine, its production is quite different from the red or white wines and, despite the variations in its color, sherry wines comes from indigenous white grapes of this province: Palomino fino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez .
Here’s more history about these fascinating wines.
If you want to taste them and see the production more closely, come with me to this family winery, you will not regret it.
If what you prefer is to know its vineyards and go on a picnic, then your experience is this one.
