Cellar

From Earth to Heaven

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odegas ALONSO was born as a life/wine project in the Sherry Triangle region. The Asencio brothers’ main purpose and passion was to continue and improve the work of three important wine cellars in Sanlúcar de Barrameda: Pedro Romero, Gaspar Florido and Fernando Méndez. For that purpose, Bodegas ALONSO bought Pedro Romero’s wine cellar located in the “barrio bajo” in Sanlúcar de Barrameda’s downtown. A total surface of almost one hectare composed of several buildings which were ideal for manzanilla and other old sherry winesʼ aging. These buildings had been serving for that purpose since 1860, and it was solera brand named AURORA (Pedro Romero’s) the one that aged there during the last decades along with other oxidative aging sherry wines. Moreover, Bodegas ALONSO bought all the sherry wines that were still in Pedro Romero’s cellars in Sanlúcar: a total of almost 250.000 liters of the best oxidative aging sherry wines in the world, and a unique long aged white wine that had been “abandoned” in Romero’s cellar.

And this is how Bodegas ALONSO initiated its activity in the Sherry Triangle with the top quality and extremely old oxidative sherry wine from three different “Sherry Wine Families”: the unique and antique Sherry soleras of Pedro Romero, Gaspar Florido and Fernando Méndez. Wines from these sherry soleras were already well known with worldwide prestige.

 

On the other hand, as it is tradition in the ALONSO family, Bodegas ALONSO works in a little more than 13 hectares of vineyards in Jerez Superior, the best albariza terroir, in areas like Balbaina and Miraflores. Grapes from these vineyards are used to elaborate the base wines each year, which will become Bodegas ALONSO’s manzanilla solera after aging for many years. At the same time, Bodegas ALONSO is buying manzanilla soleras from stockist cellars in Sanlúcar de Barrameda in order to have an own solera that finishes its aging in ALONSO’s cellar. Therefore Bodegas ALONSO will have two different manzanilla soleras: one with ALONSO’s total control (from vineyard to bottle) and another one initiated from stockist cellars.

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odegas Alonso se constituye para la adquisición de los activos vitivinícolas de Pedro Romero S.A. Un inmueble con una superficie total cercana a una hectárea en el centro de Sanlúcar de Barrameda, que consta de varias naves ideales para la crianza de manzanilla y otros vinos de la D.O. Jerez Xères Sherry. Este inmueble ha servido para estos usos desde mediados del siglo XIX, llevándose a cabo, en las últimas décadas, la crianza de la solera de la manzanilla AURORA (de Pedro Romero) y diversas soleras de vinos de crianza oxidativa. Junto a la adquisición de ese inmueble, Bodegas ALONSO adquiere alrededor de 250.000 litros de vinos de crianza oxidativa con sus respectivas botas (barricas), junto con 20.000 litros de un vino blanco de larga crianza en bota que se encontraba abandonado de cuidados enológicos, también propiedad de Pedro Romero.

De esta forma, Bodegas ALONSO inicia su andadura en el Marco de Jerez con tres “encastes” de vinos de crianza oxidativa de la mayor calidad y vejez de sus categorías. Estos “encastes” están conformados por las antiquísimas soleras de Pedro Romero, Gaspar Florido y Fernando Méndez. Los vinos de estas soleras son de reconocido prestigio mundial y únicos por su vejez y máxima calidad.

Por otro lado, Bodegas ALONSO dispone de más de 13 hectáreas de viñedo de la mejor albariza (Jerez Superior) en pagos de referencia como Balbaina y Miraflores para la elaboración de sus mostos que se convertirán en su solera de manzanilla con el paso del tiempo. En paralelo, Bodegas ALONSO está adquiriendo manzanillas de almacenistas para conformar otra solera que termine su crianza en sus cascos bodegueros y le permita llevar a cabo la comercialización de estos vinos en los primeros años de andadura en el Marco. Así la Bodega pretende mantener dos líneas de solera de manzanilla: una que vendrá con el tiempo y en la que Bodegas ALONSO tendrá el control y trazabilidad desde el viñedo; y otra que vendrá conformada por manzanillas procedentes de soleras de bodegas y almacenistas sanluqueños.

En cuanto a los vinos de crianza oxidativa, hemos de decir que se trata de vinos de muchísima vejez, que Pedro Romero S.A. conservaba como sus máximas joyas.

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Gaspar Florido

The origins in the wine business activity in the Florido family are found around mid-late 18th century.

But it was in 1.800 when José María Florido y Calderón de la Barca began the sherry wines commercial and export activities. Some decades later, in 1.880, the Florido family started their first wine cellar called Florido Hermanos, which was later acquired by the disappeared Pedro Domecq. In 1.942, D. Francisco Florido, D. Gaspar’s father, restarted the sherry wine cellar activity in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which was later continued by his son D. Gaspar until he sold it to Pedro Romero in 2.006. The company owned some fantastic 33 hectares of vineyards in Pago Miraflores, right outside Sanlúcar. This vineyard was called Viña Armijo.

Almost all their sherry wines were from this vineyard, excepting some vintages when they had to buy grapes from other vignerons in the same area. The sherry wines cellar had more than 7.000 casks at one time in different buildings for that purpose in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It was best known as the top quality old sherry wines cellar in the Sherry Triangle and that became the main focus of the family throughout their lives. The Florido family was always considered pure artisans and vignerons, both in the way they treated the vineyards and their work in the cellar.

Gaspar Florido

The origins in the wine business activity in the Florido family are found around mid-late 18th century.

But it was in 1.800 when José María Florido y Calderón de la Barca began the sherry wines commercial and export activities. Some decades later, in 1.880, the Florido family started their first wine cellar called Florido Hermanos, which was later acquired by the disappeared Pedro Domecq. In 1.942, D. Francisco Florido, D. Gaspar’s father, restarted the sherry wine cellar activity in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, which was later continued by his son D. Gaspar until he sold it to Pedro Romero in 2.006. The company owned some fantastic 33 hectares of vineyards in Pago Miraflores, right outside Sanlúcar. This vineyard was called Viña Armijo.

Almost all their sherry wines were from this vineyard, excepting some vintages when they had to buy grapes from other vignerons in the same area. The sherry wines cellar had more than 7.000 casks at one time in different buildings for that purpose in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. It was best known as the top quality old sherry wines cellar in the Sherry Triangle and that became the main focus of the family throughout their lives. The Florido family was always considered pure artisans and vignerons, both in the way they treated the vineyards and their work in the cellar.

Pedro Romero

Pedro Romero was one of the most important firms in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

It was officially founded in 1860 by D. Vicente Romero Carranza, years after the family’s acquisition of an existing cellar. Initially its activity was focused on Brandy production, but soon his three sons began a manzanilla solera right after D. Vicente’s death in 1.890. Fifteen years later, D. Pedro Romero Villarreal took full control of the cellar that was under the name of Hijos de Vicente Romero Carranza. It was Pedro who created the manzanilla AURORA brand in his wife’s honor, who was called Aurora Ambrosse Lacave.

In fact, she was the soul of the wine cellar and she managed it from her husband’s death in 1.911 until 1.921, when her children took over and named the company Hijos de Pedro Romero Villarreal.

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Pedro Romero

Pedro Romero was one of the most important firms in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

It was officially founded in 1860 by D. Vicente Romero Carranza, years after the family’s acquisition of an existing cellar. Initially its activity was focused on Brandy production, but soon his three sons began a manzanilla solera right after D. Vicente’s death in 1.890. Fifteen years later, D. Pedro Romero Villarreal took full control of the cellar that was under the name of Hijos de Vicente Romero Carranza. It was Pedro who created the manzanilla AURORA brand in his wife’s honor, who was called Aurora Ambrosse Lacave.

In fact, she was the soul of the wine cellar and she managed it from her husband’s death in 1.911 until 1.921, when her children took over and named the company Hijos de Pedro Romero Villarreal.

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Fernando

Mendez

Fernando Mendez Finally we have very little information about the cellar history of the stockist Bodegas Méndez.

Their very old rare oxidative wines were always in some buildings (cellars) in the lower part of town in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. They now age in “La Mezquita” in Bodegas ALONSO. The beginning of these old soleras can be traced back to the first years of the 19th century. Before D. Fernando Méndez, the owner of these old soleras was D. Manuel de Argüeso y Hortal, who sold them to the first one. D. Fernando Méndez, from the beginning of his wine activity, always had in mind the idea and philosophy of aging the best quality sherry wines as a stockist cellar, in order to be able to sell his fantastic wines to other cellars in the Sherry Triangle, so these last cellars could improve the quality of their soleras.

Finally D. Fernando sold his cellar to Pedro Romero S.A. The cellar was composed of very old soleras at an average age of more than 70 years, all of the amontillados, olorosos and palos cortados.

Fernando Mendez

Fernando Mendez Finally we have very little information about the cellar history of the stockist Bodegas Méndez.

Their very old rare oxidative wines were always in some buildings (cellars) in the lower part of town in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. They now age in “La Mezquita” in Bodegas ALONSO. The beginning of these old soleras can be traced back to the first years of the 19th century. Before D. Fernando Méndez, the owner of these old soleras was D. Manuel de Argüeso y Hortal, who sold them to the first one. D. Fernando Méndez, from the beginning of his wine activity, always had in mind the idea and philosophy of aging the best quality sherry wines as a stockist cellar, in order to be able to sell his fantastic wines to other cellars in the Sherry Triangle, so these last cellars could improve the quality of their soleras.

Finally D. Fernando sold his cellar to Pedro Romero S.A. The cellar was composed of very old soleras at an average age of more than 70 years, all of the amontillados, olorosos and palos cortados.

Discover our new

Selection Range

Bodegas Alonso presents a new “saca” (bottling) of part of their historic wine treasures
in their cellar in Bolsa Street in the marine neighborhood in Sanlucar de Barrameda.

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