Best Sherry Tasting Ever (Even If You Think It’s Not for You)

If you think “luxury Sherry” makes no sense, think you don’t like Sherry and – especially – know you do love the stuff, then this is a tasting you simply cannot miss. Because on Sunday, June 4 from 1-4pm, importer Jonas Gustafsson will be pouring the full line-up of the astonishingly good Sherries of Bodegas Tradicion. And, folks, they will blow your minds!

We’ve been talking a lot about the “New Wave of Spanish Wine” for the past few weeks. Sometimes, to do something new, you just have to go back to what is very old. Which is what Bodegas Tradicion has done in building a portfolio of outstanding, critically acclaimed, Sherries made from very old wines.  Sure, old vines dating back 80-100 years are impressive. But Tradicion crafts its sherries by blending wines that were first made 20, 30 even 40 years ago. And somehow creating stunning sips that are wonderfully fresh, vibrant and compelling today.

Almost as exciting as the quality of the wines is the range you’ll be able to try – something in pretty much every style of Sherry made!  Jonas will pour:

Bodegas Tradicion Fino En Rama
Bodegas Tradicion Amontillado VORS 30 Years
Bodegas Tradicion Olorosso VORS 30 Years
Bodegas Tradicion Palo Cortado VORS 30 years
Bodegas Tradicion Cream VOS 20 Years
Bodegas Tradicion Pedro Ximenez VOS 20 Years

Jonas will share his DEEP knowledge of Spain’s Sherry region and the fascinating story of Bodegas Tradicion, old-wine specialists despite starting up in 1998.  Joaquín Rivero Valcarce, descendent of the family that created and owned Bodega CZ, J.M. Rivero from the 1650s until its sale in 1991.  Valcarce re-entered the market by seeking out old, old, butts (barrels) of wine from old Sherry names like Domecq, Agustín Blazquez, Croft, Delgado Zuleta, Osborne, Paternina, Sandeman and Bobadilla. Beginning with only old wines, the collection gradually expanded to include younger ones and now even has a Fino (although at average age of 8 years, even that's an older style).

The wines are blended by José Ignacio Domecq Fernández de Bobadilla, former oenologist at Domecq and son of José Ignacio Domecq González, AKA “The Nose”, one of the most revered oenologists in the history of Jerez. And Valcarce's daughter, Helena Rivero, now runs the company.

In their first year of operations, Tradicion sold just 600 bottles of wine. Today their carefully limited production of around 20,000 bottles per year are gobbled up almost as quickly as they can be bottled, labeled, and readied to ship. Come see why as you taste with Jonas Sunday, June 4, from 1-4!