Last night I met Jose Antonio Zarzana ninth generation heir of the Ximenez-Spinola Wineries located since 1729 in Jerez de la Frontera. It is a young man, elegant and graceful, soft-spoken and unintentional humor. Gray suit with shirt collar and tie perfectly knotted, set up a small artisanal copper still have a handful of professionals, lovers of wine and spirits, how to make the 3000 bottle of brandy out of their cellars and sold to the market, numbered and signed by hand, one by one, his father, head of the family business. He is the eighth generation and is in charge. I am a worker who makes merit to someday take over the business.
While a bottle of wine distilled from Pedro Ximenez in the heat of fire, we told the story of a land with wine culture it stems before and after Al Andalus . After 500 years of abandonment of the practice of viticulture, the political and military authorities began to promote the import of grape varieties typical of other lands. So he commissioned to bring Fernan Yanez Palomino grape Valladolid and this strain was left with the name of its sponsor. Charles V had brought from Germany, Riesling , for military purposes in case of harassment survival, ice wine is produced from this variety, was very nutritious and stable. But it soon discovered that cartographers were not fine and that weather conditions in southern Spain were little or nothing conducive to the creation of this type of wine. No clutch, the number of hours of bright sun in these latitudes could produce a high concentration of fructose in the grape without the magnifying effect that is created by the molten droplets of frost. Cutting the grapes too soon and making it dry in ferrywomen or almíjares (nice word that almíjares!), Rotating every half hour to ensure homogeneous exposure to the sun and caring for the humidity of the night, is that you get, even today , by completely natural desirable concentration of fructose. This and the guard time in American oak barrels, is what will result in a wine appreciated worldwide.
The wines of Bodegas Pedro Ximenez Ximenez-Spinola, have a captive market in England and Holland, but not sold all that occurs, only the best barrels. So Joseph's grandfather Antonio came up with the idea of distilling wine that was not sold and so begins the story of Brandy de Ximenez-Spinola, one of the most famous and exclusive brandy de Jerez.
At this point in history, we had the head, heart and tail of wine distillate. The first is very strong with 96% alcohol, can heal wounds while anyway gives aroma to the wine and wood, the second, which appears when the temperature exceeds one hundred degrees, is the best of the best, the scent in its optimum and alcohol virtually unnoticed. The third, as he says Jose Antonio, is disgusting.
The heart of the distillate goes to the barrel that had before Pedro Ximénez wine where it will take an average of 25 years to become a man brandy, object of desire of many, very few prized possession.
Last night I had the privilege of access to the heart of creation. Last night, thanks to good friends Morilla of Celler de la Boqueria I had the great privilege of drinking to tell. And now there is a before and after in my approach to the wines of Jerez and especially the wineries Ximenez-Spinola, ideal place to visit during the months of January and February when the fires are lit and feature stories.
This morning, while walking through the city, making a road I know by heart but I always discover new things, I stood before the window of Documenta , one of the best bookshops in Barcelona. I went in and I found the book to tell Drink , a selection of stories of Irish writers as well known by his pen as his fondness for drink. Among others, quotes WDYeats's widow saying that poets write better when they are "tipsy". I can only agree. Without being a poet, which I like, I think if you had written this post last night between divine glow of wine and brandy, I would have done better.
Can not be lived on this earth if you have not tasted anything of Jerez. Good for you, because there is a before and after, you'll see. It has something magical in the memoria.Es pemanece but something like the "aftertaste" of great wines, but permanent.
Try to get that book is very good as you paint. In fact it has some of the "Gabo" García Marquez.
An embrace of the South
Was recently in Oviedo, but, in my poor promotion, I did not enterase this luxury. See if another time
Hi Malena
I see you're in front line.
Indeed, José Antonio has the elegance of the gentlemen of Jerez, the breeching of Andalusian good that way deliberately, to lit the patience to be taken to obtain such products category.
See if captive Palo Cortado, Amontillado or Oloroso. That a group of friends are thinking of starting a tasting in Seville, to be more in temperature.
Regards
Enjoy Vinis Naturala PD.
Tasting which I gladly would join if I pillase closer, Bentley.
As discussed elsewhere, we know something about fino and manzanilla (the Lustau, what a delight) and associate it always with Andalusian party. And something about Pdro Ximenez, who joined the ubiquitous steak with foie. But the rest of the world of sherry I think is very unknown in Spain. Oloroso, Palo Cut, Amontillados, Spanish wines more differentiated and more "Spanish" and the least known in this country.
Greetings and congratulations Malena, envious read you.
My dear friends, I love having things that arouse much interest. Really a pleasure to be in a tasting like this and also to take an example. If you have tried each producer and its product, its creation and dream, we would have a completely different approach to wine, distillates and in general the culture of good drink. For example I'm sure my gym teacher who says he does not drink alcohol, have good wine and good spirits if someone were to tell you, besides myself, virtues for the body and soul of these delicacies made with the same wisdom, passion and responsibility with which he trains us and communicates healthy living.
Bentley, please stay organized when tasting this let me know. I like smiorgan be a bit far but the truth is you never know where the wind takes you ;)
Sibaritastur, I'm sure the comment on the poor communication of this tasting will Oviedo good ears and the next will be better :)
Dear Richard, my suitcase is becoming more beautiful and diverse. We have so much to offer and so many good wines to try my next time in Uruguay will have to be longer :)))
I embrace them all. Played on Saturday Naturala Vinis. On Sunday rest. And on Monday announced a party chronic ;))
Salut and fine wines and spirits :)
With apologies but I have to emphasize that the formula proposed by Pedro Ximénez smiorgan tenderloin with foie :)))) Mamma mia, is that look, smell and taste these wines and appears before a sirloin with foie which augmented reality. And this reminds me of one of my favorite scenes from the film, when in Matrix, Joe Pantoliano pacta the betrayal of his colleagues with Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith the ubiquitous) to a steak that looked death. Pantoliano cut a piece, and chew it before swallowing it looks cold companion and says, "I know this steak does not exist but what good is" ...
Matrix you like up to that point makes me think even more than you and I are going to get along
I've done this great sequence rcordar, and I swear I started to salivate.
With respect to reductions in Pedro Ximenez, recently prepared for some friends a toast with foie gras, caramelized onions and reduction of PX that were either maimed.
Greetings.