Part of the Caballero group, Lustau was founded in 1896 by José Ruiz-Berdejo. It is the only winery in the Sherry Triangle that produces wine in its three main towns: Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María and Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
Boasting one of the largest portfolios in the region, Lustau is internationally available where 70% of its wines are sold. In fact, the company sells as much in New York as in the whole of Spain given that they are co-owners of Europvin, a US wine importing business.
Visiting the old bodegas in the centre of Jerez, where they are based since 2001, is a memorable experience. Previously owned by Harveys, the complex occupies over 20,000m² and includes seven bodegas built in the 19th century. Some of the most impressive are Los Arcos, with ceilings reaching 14m, Las Cruces, where Fino Jarana is aged, or La Campana, destined to oxidative aging. One of the narrow streets within this small wine village was closed and transformed into Lustau’s “Sacristía”, where their most precious wines are stored.
Los Arcos houses around 2,500 casks of the legendary Fino La Ina solera that Caballero bought from Osborne in 2008. Moving the casks from their previous location less than 3km away took two years and required the advice of a group of microbiologists at the University of Cádiz in order to preserve the flor yeasts and prevent any interference with the yeasts of Lustau’s flagship Fino Jarana.
Lustau produces around 600,000 bottles distributed in five ranges of wines. The Family Soleras feature traditional brands in different Sherry styles: Manzanilla Papirusa, Finos from El Puerto (Puerto) and Jerez (Jarana), two Amontillados (Los Arcos and Escuadrilla), the Península Palo Cortado, Oloroso Don Nuño, two Creams (Capataz Andrés and Rare Cream Superior), San Emilio PX and Emilín Moscatel. Prices range from €10-11 in the case of Finos, Manzanilla and Los Arcos Amontillado to €18-20 for Palo Cortado, Emilín Moscatel and Amontillado Escuadrilla.
The Almacenista collection is sourced from small, independent producers in the Sherry Triangle whose names are shown on the label: Manuel Cuevas Jurado, José Luis González Obregón and Cayetano del Pino. Without such a distinction, these wines would be diluted in the blends made by the region’s large players. The range was launched in the 1980s by Rafael Balado, a very dynamic manager at Lustau, as a tribute to the founder who was an almacenista himself.
Specialities include sweet wines with extended aging like East India Solera (€18), the VORS range (€35-40) exceeding 30 years of aging and featuring Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez versions, and three “en rama” (unfiltered) sherries: one Manzanilla and two Finos from El Puerto and Jerez that retail between €16 and €20. Some excepcional vintage sherries are produced exclusively for the British market, although the 2000 vintage is set to be released also in Spain.
Lustau produces over 40 different sherries plus four brandies, two vinegars and two vermouths in red and white versions. The red one, launched in 2016, is a selection of wines made by legendary winemaker Manuel Lozano. Released after the red, the white vermouth follows a fresher, straight-forward style.
After the death of Lozano in 2016, Sergio Martínez, who had joined the company in 2003, took over as winemaker. On the IWC 2017 edition, we was named Best Spanish Winemaker.
The 10,000 visitors who go to Lustau every year are offered six wines to taste (€15), so that they can have a general idea of the various Sherry categories. Plans are underway to improve the experience with a Sherry bar an the refurbishment of the store.
