May 2013,
Any wine connoisseur is -in one level or another- fun of sherry. And once we start talking about quality and family run cellars, we have to talk about Gutiérrez Colosía, sited at Puerto de Santa María. This firm dates back from 1838. They started as almacenista (a sort of company working between the wine maker and the final buyer, that takes care about the wine for years, selling it later to some shippers who are in touch with whole sellers and final costumers). This changed in 1997, when the company was taken by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez and started to sell the wines directly to the final costumers. Supported by his wife Carmen and two daughters, who take care of the distribution and promotional channels, has managed to place his wines in the top among the sherry.
They work a wide variety of references. The “Colosía” line includes the majority of brands, while the “Colosía Solera familiar” works with very old sherry only; other brands are commercialized by them, as “Sangre y Trabajadero” (trabajadero refers to the place where the butts where manipulated just in front of the river).
They also produce an excellent brandy, branded as «Juan Sebastián el Cano», not well know but really good. It is deep, soft as silk and it has a great body.
We could say the same about vinegar. “Dime de dónde vienes y te diré quién eres” is a fixed Spanish expression that could be translated as: tell me from where you come from and I will tell you who you are. In terms of vinegar, one can assure that those wines produced by Juan Carlos Gutiérrez will render an excellent vinegar as well.
Last but not least: it is necessary to state the geographical placement of the cellar. They are just besides the Guadalete River, and very close to the sea. These unique characteristics make their wines to grow in their own way, bring them an especial flavor and allowing some miracles, i.e., it invalidates the said that all sherry wines need to be fortified. I have had the opportunity to taste some non fortified finos with 15º G.L. where the yeast was very lively!
Well worth a visit, I recommend it to any person willing to have a great experience.
SWOTWINES 