Spain`s Unique Brandy Region

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Spain’s Unique Brandy Region
by Peggy Sijswerda
with Jerez.
In fact, flamenco is an
essential part of Andalusian
culture and nearly every native
knows how to clap and stomp
and dance to the sounds of
strumming guitar—Olé! One
night Peter and I discovered
a flamenco show just steps
away from our apartment.
The doors of a nondescript
building opened to reveal a
courtyard filled with twinkling
lights, exotic Moroccan decor,
and happy locals gathered to
watch a flamenco show on
a makeshift stage. We were
the only tourists there—and
felt so fortunate to be part of
this convivial evening. In fact,
“pop-up” flamenco shows are
common, so it pays to be on
the lookout!
The town of Jerez de
la Frontera is a lively city with
lots of shops and restaurants.
Plan to stop in the Jerez Cathedral, built in the 17th century,
Tasting brandy, sherry, and tapas in Lustau’s cozy tasting room in Jerez de la Frontera. (Photo by Peggy Sijswerda) and the Fortress of Jerez de
la Frontera, perched on a hill
ust one taste of Spanish branIts mild climate, beautiful beaches and
above the town. There’s also a
dy—and I was smitten. A few
mountains, charming towns, and friendly
lively market selling every kind of seafood
years ago I attended Tales of
people—combined with delicious cuisine,
imaginable. The only thing I didn’t like
the Cocktail in New Orleans,
wines, and of course brandy and sherry—
about Jerez was we kept getting lost on
an annual gathering that celebrates cockadd up to a vacation paradise. Come join
its winding streets! Peter and I spent a
tails and spirits, and representatives from
us in the sunny region of Andalusia as we
lot of time trying to figure out where we
several Spanish brandy distributors were
explore Spain’s unique brandy region.
were. Thank goodness for the GPS on
on hand, sharing their products with atour smart phone, which helped us find
tendees. When I sampled the amber beverTWINKLING LIGHTS
our way home each night.
age, I couldn’t believe the depth of flavors
After flying into Madrid, where we rented
Besides visiting brandy houses, we
contained in one sip: caramel, almonds,
a car, we drove six hours through the
were also excited about seeing the white
honey, figs, and dates, just to name a few.
picturesque plains of Spain to Jerez de la
towns in the mountains to the west and
I’d never tasted anything so delicious.
Frontera. Peter and I rented a second-story
visiting nearby Doñaña National Park,
At that moment, I vowed to visit the
apartment in an old section of the city and
Europe’s largest nature reserve, which
land of Spanish brandy and learn more
loved its rustic ambiance, fully equipped
hugs the Atlantic coast and provides
about this smooth, mellow spirit. Last
kitchen, and spacious terrace overlooking
refuge to 300 different species of birds,
December my husband, Peter, and I took
the local church. Each evening as we sat
many migrating between Europe and
a trip to Jerez de la Frontera to follow the
enjoying tapas and red wine, we could hear
Africa. Jerez is also home to the Royal
Spanish Brandy Route and learn about
someone practicing flamenco dancing
Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, and
Brandy de Jerez and its unique transformaon a wooden floor in a nearby building.
we couldn’t wait to see a performance of
tion from grapes to spirits. We discovered a
Rat-a-tat, stomp, stomp, rat-a-tat, stomp,
these amazing horses. But first, let’s sip
region brimming with culture and history.
stomp—it’s a sound I’ll forever associate
some Spanish brandy!
J
A HAPPY ACCIDENT
What makes Spanish brandy unique? It all
has to do with the terroir—a French term
that means the conditions in which the
grapes are grown. Here in Jerez Atlantic
breezes sweep across the vineyards and add
a delicate salty flavor to the grapes used
to make sherry. While Spanish brandy is
made from different grapes, the American oak barrels in which sherry ages are
repurposed to age brandy, thus flavoring
it with the earthy flavors of the sherry.
The magical transformation of grapes
into brandy takes place in Jerez and the
nearby towns of Sanlucar de Barrameda
and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Only these
three places can produce Spanish brandy,
and the process is fascinating. Not only
does the proximity to the Atlantic Ocean
factor into the brandy’s flavors, the region’s
humidity is also needed to create the proper
conditions for aging the brandy, which
occurs in huge cathedral-like warehouses.
Inside these buildings barrels upon barrels
of the world’s finest spirits repose in quiet,
peaceful darkness.
A happy accident produced the first
Spanish brandy, according to legend.
After learning the art of distillation from
the Moors, Spanish winegrowers began
shipping distilled wine to other countries,
using the wooden barrels in which sherries
were aged. One shipment, so the story
goes, was delayed, and the distilled wine
remained in the oak barrels longer than
usual. The resulting spirit absorbed some
of the flavors from the sherry barrels—and
voila, Spanish brandy was born.
Now a unique solera system is used
to age the brandy, the same system used
to create sherry. Basically, barrels are
stacked on top of each other—as high as
eight barrels tall—and when the brandy is
ready to be bottled, a portion is removed
from the bottom row of barrels (called the
solera). The solera is filled with brandy
from the barrels above, and each barrel in
turn contributes to the barrel beneath it.
The newest barrels at the top are topped
off with distilled wine. The system does
not produce specific vintages, but instead
brandy that averages 10, 20, or even 50
Market
TIDEWATER WOMEN • 25
travel
Spain’s Unique Brandy Region (cont.)
years old. Sounds complicated, but Spanish brandy fans agree the end result is a
delicious amalgamation of flavors.
Williams & Humbert, the first brandy
house we visited, is located by a highway
and has an industrial feel. No wonder. It’s
the largest wine cellar in Europe with eight
warehouses housing 50,000 total barrels,
of which 7,500 contain brandy. After
touring one of the immense buildings,
we ended up in a cheerful tasting room
next to a small shop. W & H’s signature
brandy—Gran Duque du Alba—ranges
in age from 10 to 25 years and has notes
of raisin and vanilla—delicious!
Lustau, another brandy producer in
Jerez, presents itself as more of a boutique
brand. After an informative tour, the tasting takes place in a cozy, wood-paneled
room, where a wall displays the family of
beverages produced by Lustau’s parent
company, Caballero. Christina Bilbao
Alonso, who helps market the brand in
the U.S., led our tasting, which was accompanied by a delicious selection of
tapas. We loved Lustau sherries and their
range of flavorful brandies, including
two top-of-the-line choices: Solera Gran
Reserva Finest Selection, and Solera Gran
Reserva Anada 1977, which is aged in
special barrels dating to 1977.
Most bodegas welcome visitors for
tours, which are usually available in English, although calling in advance is always
recommended. Because of the symbiotic
relationship between sherry and brandy,
plan to sample the sherry as well. This will
enable you to appreciate how sherry flavors
contribute to the fine taste of Spanish
brandy. Bodegas charge a small fee for a
tour and tasting, and some tours include
a selection of tapas.
INVITING GARDENS
I’d read about Andalusia’s white villages
(pueblos blancos) and wanted to see them
for myself, so one day Peter and I packed
a picnic and headed east, where the land
rises sharply toward craggy mountains.
We visited the white village of Arcos de
la Frontera, where we climbed steep hills,
peeked in ancient convents and mansions,
and enjoyed magnificent views from the
town square as we sipped sherry.
Another day we headed west to
the coast to the town of El Puerto de
Santa Maria, which nestles by the Atlantic
Ocean and boasts beautiful beaches. The
December weather was decidedly not
beach-friendly, however, so we took refuge
in the Castle of San Marcos, a medieval
castle built on the site of a mosque, where
we enjoyed an informative tour. El Puerto
is also home to one of the region’s oldest
taverns called Bodega Obregon. Peter and
I sipped sherry in the cozy bar, where the
interior walls are lined with barrels, bullfight posters, and paraphernalia. While we
were there, locals brought in their empty
sherry bottles to be refilled and enjoyed
later.
The other sherry- and brandyproducing city, Sanlucar de Barrameda,
is just to the north and is also the gateway
to Doñaña National Park. We journeyed
about eight miles up the Guadalquivir
River on a boat tour one morning, stopping twice to look for deer, birds, and other
wildlife. Seeing a flock of pink flamingo
was the highlight of the tour. Back on land
we walked around Sanlucar, stopping in a
convent where a cafe served coffee and cake
amid inviting gardens. We also peeked in
the Orleans-Borbon Palace, currently the
town hall. From a balcony of the palace,
Peter and I heard festive music and went
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26 • SEPTEMBER 2014
looking for
the party.
Turns
out we discovered
another
flamenco
show—
O l é ! — at
a historic
bodega
called La
C i g a r re ra, where
sherry has
been produced by
the same
family for
nine gen(Photo courtesy Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art)
erations.
In a cozy courtyard filled with Spanish
communication between the horse and
families, Peter and I managed to find a table
his trainer is astonishing. It’s as if the two
and ordered delicious tapas, including a
become one. Years of incredible discipline
bowl of flavorful paella and some local
and hard work take place before these
shrimp, which we enjoyed with—what
animals reach this level of art. It’s truly
else?—some lovely sherry.
poetry in motion.
In fact, even though I was drawn to
this region to learn about Spanish brandy,
FESTIVE SPIRIT
both Peter and I were discovering the
All too soon we found ourselves heading
nuances of sherry on this visit—an unexto Madrid for our flight home. It was
pected bonus! Sherry is often thought of
colder in Madrid, which made us miss
as a sweet dessert wine, but the fino and
Spain’s sunny southern coast even more.
olorosso and amontillado sherries are dry,
Nevertheless, Spain’s capital is a fascinatflavorful, and spectacular with food. (You’ll
ing city, and after dropping our bags at the
find three affordable varieties of sherry at
Pullman Madrid Hotel, an upscale hotel
Trader Joe’s if you’d like to expand your
near the airport, we took the metro do the
palate. Match them with some yummy
city center, where the streets were ablaze
tapas.)
with Christmas lights and the sidewalks
full of shoppers out buying gifts.
DANCING HORSES
We discovered a lovely restaurant
Back in Jerez de la Frontera, it was showcalled Viva Madrid and found a table in
time at the Royal Andalusian School of
the bar area by a window, where we enjoyed
Equestrian Art. Here some of the world’s
olives, smoky ham, and foie gras along with
most beautiful horses perform an equestasty red wine. A Spanish family came in
trian ballet unlike anything you’ve ever
and sat near us, and we had fun watching
seen. Before the performance began, Peter
three generations enjoy themselves. The
and I toured the campus, which features
grandfather sat at a small table with his
a carriage collection; a state-of-the art,
grandson and ordered a huge pile of deliinteractive museum dedicated to the equescious ham—thinly sliced by the bartender
trian arts; training rings where students
from a jamón right on the bar —and a
learn the art of horsemanship; stables
plate of fries for the boy. They were a
and tack room, which has a cathedral-like
boisterous family, and we smiled at one
ambiance; and the saddlery, where you
other as they milled about the small bar
can watch craftsmen making saddles. In
area, enjoying themselves and adding to
fact, we wished we’d allowed more time
our pleasure as well.
for our visit because there’s so much to
This happy family personified the fessee and learn, especially if you’re a little
tive spirit that seems ubiquitous in Spain.
horse crazy like me!
The Spanish people know how to live life
But the show is the main reason people
well. Whether it’s enjoying fine brandy,
come to this attraction, and what a show it
sitting down to a tasty plate of ham, or
was. Our guide, Javier, explained that the
elevating horsemanship to an art form,
purpose of the foundation is to preserve
you’ll find a sense of passion for the art
the culture of the Andalusian horse. “It’s a
of living in Spain. Whenever Peter and I
part of the heart of the Spanish culture,”
visit this amazing country, we come home
he said. “It’s in the blood.”
feeling a renewed zest for life and a com
The performance features a number
mitment to the art of living well. Olé! w
of riders and trainers. Sometimes the
For information, visit www.brandydejerez.es.
horses do their movements while being
For tourist info., visit www.cadizturismo.com.
ridden and other times the trainers are
For lodgings in Jerez, check out www.airbnb.com/
on the ground next to the horses guiding
rooms/1623777.
them as they dance. It’s thrilling to watch,
For accommodations in Madrid, visit www.
especially since dramatic Spanish music
pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-1606-pullmanplays as the horses perform their intricate
madrid-airport-feria/index.shtml.
choreographed moves like skipping, prancFor a great meal in Madrid, check out www.
ing, kicking, strutting, and jumping. The
restaurantevivamadrid.com (Spanish only).