Red Wine Revival

 

It’s hard to live in a part of the world like this without more than occasionally fantasizing about what it would be like to buy an old finca and a piece of land. Should it be an olive grove or a vineyard? The stark beauty of these weathered cortijos, perched on the rolling hills under a deep blue cloudless sky is very appealing. And so when invited by a group of local bloggers to join them on a visit the wine-producing Bodegas Luis Perez, we accepted readily. Over the three years that we have lived here in the the south of Spain, we have been very conscious of the increase in numbers of small bodegas producing really good wine.  I assumed this was a new trend since this western corner of Spain is the sherry producing area and not known for its red wines. However, apparently it is not a new trend at all but a revival of a thriving production that was wiped out by phylloxera at the end of the 19th century.

Bodegas Luis Perez is anything but a rambling weathered cortijo but more of a state of the art, beautifully landscaped modern facility. Fatima Perez, the daughter of enologist Luis Perez who started the bodega 12 years ago, gave us an extensive and detailed tour of their meticulously maintained property, explaining every stage of the process and every obstacle one might encounter on the way. Well, surprise, surprise. It ain’t easy! Wine production is a science and producers have to be constantly observing every detail of the plant’s development. Any delay in timing or unexpected environmental change can ruin the batch.  While being totally impressed by the extent of her knowledge I also quickly started realizing that if you want to do something like this and be able to produce a consistently good product, you really have to do it properly. It requires a lot of knowledge and it’s hard work.

Despite the bodega’s very upscale appearance, Bodegas Luis Perez is a real family business with each member playing their part from production to label and logo design. The tour took us from the vineyard where they grow a variety of grapes such as Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvingnon and more, to the shiny processing area, and to the cellar with the barrels of wine. Unlike sherry which is stored in old casks, these wines need to be stored in new barrels  which are replaced every three years.

The last stage of the visit took us to a huge dinning room where we could sample the wine. We were given three  – a rose “Marismilla”, a new red called “Tintilla” and the heavier and already well known “Garum”.

I sampled my wines with a new appreciation of how much dedication and attention had gone into producing them.  Not only are bodegas like this rescuing an important part of the culture of this area, they are doing so seriously and professionally. As someone who only remembers to water the plants when they see them drooping, I might not have the dedication it takes to join them in this venture. However, I will certainly continue to support them as a consumer!

 

If you would like to visit, the bodega is just outside Jerez de La Frontera . Details below and on their website.

Ctra. de el Calvario km 0 | Hijuela de Rompeserones
Tél: 956 03 11 93 | info@bodegasluisperez.com