A visit to Bodegas Díez-Mérito

**Bill Bolloten begins the new year fortified by a visit to one of Jerez’s historic sherry bodegas**

Visiting a bodega in Jerez de la Frontera is always an opportunity to experience the unique architecture and ambience of these ‘sherry cathedrals’.

Bodegas Díez-Mérito, which I visited earlier this month, has two complexes in the town. Stepping inside the historic Bertemati bodega, one has the immediate sensation of entering a private, secluded neighbourhood with its own passageways and atmosphere.

The air is cool with aromas of damp earth, yeast, vinegar and evaporating wine. The small windows, with trellised openings to allow air circulation, cast blocks of light and shadow.

A unique colour palate derives from the ochre of the albero clay floor, the white walls with their patina of staining and mould, and the endless rows of black barrels.

The temperature, air flow and humidity all provide the optimum conditions for the development of the veil of flor and ageing of wines. As has been convincingly argued, terroir in the Marco de Jerez includes the territory and the ecology of the bodega.

María Jesús López, wine tourism manager at Díez-Mérito, met us in the Patio de los Naranjos inner courtyard, a part of the complex dating from 1790.

María expertly took us through the key aspects of understanding the workings of a sherry bodega: the ageing environment, the role of flor in biological ageing, the technique of fractional blending in the system of solera and criaderas, and the characteristics of the different types of sherry wines.

The visit drew to a close in the tasting area with its old school bar in the beautiful Salón de Cúpulas.

It was a memorable visit. Díez-Mérito’s bodega may not have the polished and modernised enoturismo facilities of some of the famous names in Jerez, but for history, authenticity and the genuine warmth of the welcome it’s an experience that is highly recommended.

Wines tasted

Bertola Vermouth

An unusual vermouth based on a traditional recipe in the bodega’s historical archive. Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez are flavoured with herbs and botanicals to produce a vermouth on the dry and lightly bitter side, with a pronounced aroma of clove and citrus peel.

Bertola Fino

Old gold colour. Some weight from its seven years of ageing, yet also sharp, refreshing and agile.

Bertola Amontillado

Aged for more than 12 years in the traditional Jerez system of soleras and criaderas, with three years under flor, followed by a further nine years of oxidative ageing. Amber colour. Pungent and nutty, rounded and enlivening.

Bertola Oloroso

Aged for over 12 years in American oak botas. Mahogany colour. Very aromatic, with flavours of coffee, almonds and salted caramel.

Bertola Cream

A blend of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso aged for over 12 years. Dark coloured and lightly sweet with aromas of baking spice and warm Christmas cake. Notes of cinnamon, clove, dried fruit, dark chocolate and nuts. Nicely balanced and not in the least cloying.

Amontillado Fino Imperial VORS

One of Jerez’s flagship amontillados. It began life as a fino with ageing under flor for its first five years. There was no second fortification, so its long oxidative phase started as the flor died off naturally. It’s a VORS (Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum): a sherry with a certified age of over 30 years. The nose is complex and penetrating with candied citrus peel, spice, almonds and seawater. Very elegant and persistent. You won’t want to rush a glass of this.

Victoria Regina Oloroso VORS

Described by César Saldaña in his The Book of Sherry Wines as having “the kindness of a venerable, worldly-wise grandmother.” This is the best oloroso I have ever had. Mahogany in colour, deeply expressive and fragrant with notes of dried fruit, leather, caramelised almonds and old furniture. A sensory overload, but so fine and composed.

Wine of the week