ANDALUCÍA - JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA - BODEGAS JOSE ESTEVEZ

BODEGAS REAL TESORO Y VALDESPINO

This is an excellent bodega to tour, as it provides an overview of sherry production and other associated activities.

To start the tour of the bodega facilities, you will meet in the main reception area.

You will then be taken through the world of Sherry wines across the different wine cellars.

Marqués del Real Tesoro.

Marqués del Real Tesoro

Valdespino.

This vast bodega has classical music playing gently to the sherry throughout the day.

The bodega is a beautiful building, built only recently, but it perfectly recreates an authentic 18th-century bodega. It is filled with nostalgic photos of the owner's family and has wonderful furniture, paintings, and antiques.

The original Valdespino

Our guide mastered the transition from Spanish to English and back again very well. She was witty and knowledgeable about the bodega and its wines, which made the tour very interesting.

Apart from sherry, you are taken to see the best native horses of Jerez de la Frontera at the bodegas stud, Real Tesoro.

The stables house around 15 black horses. They are bred there and are used during fiestas and fairs.

Dogs are also kept here, which keeps away any rats...

We came across a vintage horse-drawn carriage that is used for special occasions.

Next, you will see where the horse-drawn carriages are stored.

To complete the tour, you will see some of the best contemporary art in the Bodegas Art Gallery in the main building. The gallery includes works by Picasso, Miro, Dali, and others.

Finally, you are taken to the main hall, where you are offered a tasting of the bodegas sherry. The bottles are left on the table for you to help yourself. We had, amontilado, cream and PX. You can also buy sherries from their shop.

The tour lasts around two hours and costs €15 per person, which is excellent value.

A brief history of Bodegas José Estevez S.A.

The José Estevez S.A. wine cellars (bodegas) originated from the José Lena Rendon and Co., established in 1809 to age sherry and brandy.

Since 1974, the Estevez family has managed the entire company, renamed Jose Estevez S.A. in 1984. In keeping with family business traditions, great importance has been given to the care of the wines' ageing.

In 1982, Jose Estevez de los Reyes bought many shares in the Marques del Real Tesoro bodega and took over that company in 1985.

In 1989, the Estevez family devised a plan to merge the two companies, José Estevez S.A. and Marques del Rel Tesoro S.A., investing in a brand new facility, the headquarters you are visiting today.

Following this expansion philosophy, in May 1993, the international brand of fino, Tio Mateo, and its complete solera were acquired. One of the oldest wineries in Jerez, A.R. Valdespino, was acquired in September 1999. In 2007, the Estévez family took control of Hijos de Rainera Pérez Marín y M. Gil Luque, proprietors of the well-known Manzanilla La Guita from Sanlucar de Barrameda, which is the market leader in Spain.