Switching beverage gears from Port to Sherry today with tasting tours in Jerez, which is pronounced locally, HARETHHHH. Spain Spanish is always an adjustment for my ears.
Bodegas Luiz Perez
Lovely tasting at Bodegas Luiz Perez, where they are producing still wines from traditional local varieties, in particular, a grape called Tintilla. Wasn’t really my thing, but always grateful for the opportunity to indulge in a local variety. Got a chance to walk through the dormant vineyard – kicking myself for not remembering to pick up a piece of albariza (the distinctive chalky soil prevalent in the Sherry region) for my rock collection.
Bodegas Tradición
On to a traditional Sherry tasting at Bodegas Tradición. Not sure how the rest of the group really felt about Sherry (it can be a polarizing wine, and I suspect more than a couple were being polite about liking it). Myself, I love Sherry. One of the Sherry pairings Bodegas Tradición served us was an Amontillado Sherry (a dry Sherry that smells kind of like hazelnuts) with a cold tomato soup called salmorejo, which is traditionally served with serrano ham and hard boiled eggs on top. Am now obsessed with this soup. So good.
Surprise: the winery has an incredible private art collection, complete with works from Picssso, El Greco, and Goya. Our hostess poured all of us a generous glass of PX Sherry (a Sherry so sweet you could eat it on ice cream, but glorious in small amounts once in a while), and we got to walk around sipping Sherry while we enjoyed the gallery. Some beautiful pieces, but I was more gobsmacked by the frames. Incredible craftsmanship.
Walked around Jerez city for a bit. We were there during siesta, so it was absolutely deserted. I think I could get behind a daily siesta. But the whole eat dinner at 10pm thing is a hard pass for me.
Orange trees EVERYWHERE. And they are FULL of oranges. 
We were told the oranges are super bitter and not good for eating. Can confirm. I picked one and opened it – smells incredible. But WOW is it bitter.
Back in Sevilla
By the time we got back so Sevilla, siesta was over, so some time for walking and shopping. Gotta close my exercise rings.
After dinner and drinks with good friends, got talked into going on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city. Am well aware that this activity is a massive tourist trap. A different perspective to see the city, but I was over it when our carriage driver merged us into four lanes of vehicle traffic. Kept thinking: keep your arms and legs inside the carriage at all times.
Salud!
Beautiful photos as always. No picture of the soup?!! I’ll have to make that some time. It sounds incredible. I love Sherry.
Thanks, Mimi. There is a picture of the soup – it’s the bowl of “orange”. So good!!
Like an occasional dry sherry as an aperitif. And actually have made salmorejo soup way back when and liked it. Loved your photos – there must be more than one winery with an art collection ’cause I have seen totally different photos? Feel you were lucky to have a very nice sized group . . , interesting trip . . .
My guilty pleasure: cream Sherry. I just love it!
*huge smile* . . . Well, ENJOY IT ! I am having a huge mug of very strong black coffee at the moment !
We managed to arrive in Jerez on Andalucia Day and the sherry and flamenco were going full full strength. I loved both.
Oh I’ll bet that was a high energy day!! LOVE.
[…] The world-famous Sherry Triangle, the region in southwestern Spain known for producing sherry, is located just an hour and a half south of Seville. Of course I went on a pilgrimage. […]