Sherry wines - Vinos de Jerez - Manzanilla, Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez, Fino, Palo Cortado, Amontillado

Bodegas

Published on August 22nd, 2013 | by Ruben

1

Bodegas Lustau

The House of Lustau

The history of Bodegas Lustau dates back to 1896, when the early steps were taken by Don José Ruiz-Berdejo. He grew some vines in his own finca called Finca Nuestra Senora de la Esperanza and aged the wines for some time. At first this was merely for private consumption, but later he also sold them to bigger houses which commercialized and exported the wines. This is what we call an almacenista, a warehouse keeper. Originally almacenistas simply wanted to age sherry for local bars and shops (often their own), afterwards they also became suppliers for larger shipping bodegas.

 

Emilio Lustau

After his death in 1930, the bodega was moved to the old town centre of Jerez (in the Calle Asta) and steadily expanded. By then, the founder’s daughter María and son-in-law Emilio Lustau Ortega from Granada were at the head of the company. Emilio began to export wines and felt Lustau should be at the forefront of quality, while staying loyal to his almacenista roots.

He introduced the Lustau Solera Reserva range, composed with old stocks acquired from different almacenistas, and later (in 1981) added the Almacenista range, a series of hand-picked wines from small almacenistas, bottled and labeled by Lustau but with the provenance mentioned on the label. Both are still highly respected ranges and among the more widely available premium sherries.

 

Bodegas Lustau: Sacristía

Bodegas Lustau: Sacristía

Lustau bodega

Lustau courtyard in the Calle Arcos, Jerez

 

Grupo Caballero & Domecq

The Lustau company was sold in 1990 to Luis Caballero, a company famous for its Ponche Caballero liqueur, the most popular of its kind in Spain. The sale gave Bodegas Lustau a solid financial backbone and oxygen for further expansion. One of the latest achievements was the purchase of six bodega buildings that belonged to Domecq (and MacKenzie before them), when this house was split and sold to different buyers. In 2001 and 2002, these 20.000 square metre buildings were restored and now house all of the Lustau wines.

Since 2008, The House of Lustau also owns some of the great Domecq brands as well as their related soleras: La Ina, Botaina, Rio Viejo Macarena and Viña 25 – 4,000 butts in all.



 

The House of Lustau sherry range

Lustau now markets over 40 wines, which are found in 8 ranges and categories. Their releases are particularly well represented in foreign markets, especially in the US.

 

Brandy de Jerez, Vermouth, Vinagre de Jerez

  • Brandy de Jerez: four brandies Solera Reserva, Solera Gran Reserva, Solera Gran Reserva Finest Selection and Solera Gran Reserva Añada 1977.
  • Vinagre de Jerez: the Vinagre de Jerez 1/24 and Vinagre de Jerez 1/5 Pedro Ximénez.
  • Lustau Vermut: a red vermouth composed with Lustau Amontillado and Pedro Ximénez, used to macerate more than ten botanicals and aromatic herbs. Since 2017 there is also a white version, later followed by a unique rosé version.
  • Lustau Tintilla de Rota: similar in style to sherry, but from the town of Rota. A wine that is rarely bottled and notoriously difficult to find.

 

Contact

The House of Lustau
Arcos, 53, 11402 Jerez de la Frontera
Tel: (+34) 956 34 15 97
www.lustau.es

The bodegas can be visited Monday to Saturday, with tours in Spanish and English. They have a Basic tour (1 hour, tasting 8 wines) and a Full Tasting tour (1,5 hour, tasting 12 wines). Reservation required, tours can be booked online: www.lustau.es

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,


About the Author

is a Certified Sherry Educator who fell in love with sherry some 25 years ago, but switched to a higher gear in 2013 and started writing about it. Lived in Madrid for a couple of years, now back in Belgium. I also run a whisky blog over at www.whiskynotes.be



Back to Top ↑

Sherry Wines | Vinos de Jerez

Share your #SherryLove

If you like this site, please follow us!

 

 

Many thanks!