Bodega Gutiérrez Colosía
La tierra, el mar y el vino en una copa de fino

Winery History 


Since 1838, are located in the mouth of the river Guadalete. The dry "Levante" and the hurrid "Poniente" winds regulate the surrounding moisture level thus maintaining optimum conditions for our wines to age. The quality of the Gutiérrez Colosía wines is guaranteed by careful ageing through a process known as "criaderas y soleras", following the region's tradition.  

The Gutiérrez Colosía wines are produced in "bodegas", or wine cellars, with an architectural style known as "Nave Cathedral" or cathedral like warehouse. These are buildings of significant height and numerous arcs which allow for a better exposure of the wines to the influence of the special climate of the Region.

The Gutiérrez Colosía Bodegas are heirs to a long viticulture and wine producing tradition. Their first Bodega was built in 1838 and it has been preserved almost as such to this day. After different ownership, it was acquired by Mr. José Gutiérrez Dosal towards the beginning of the 20th century, the late great grandfather of this last generation of the Gutiérrez Colosía family.

  
Gutiérrez Colosía winery is the only one located by the riverside in the   area  and    it  is   this location which allows for the perfect humidity level needed for the biological ageing of the “Fino” and the developing of a fine layer of yeast “en flor” (micro-organisms which develop over the wine surface) in a veil fashion that gives this wine its unique aroma and taste.

In 1969, the Gutiérrez Colosía family bought the ruins of the Palace of the Count of Cumbrehermosa -Cargador de Indias, which also included a wine cellar. Upon these ruins two additional cellars were built. 
  
The Gutiérrez Colosía wineries are the only ones located  by  the  riverside in the   area  and    it  is   this location which allows for the perfect humidity level needed for the biological ageing of the “Fino” and the developing of a fine layer of yeast “en flor” (micro-organisms which develop over the wine surface) in a veil fashion that gives this wine its unique aroma and taste.


Jerez - Xérès - Sherry

The Sherry County spreads over a surface of about 10,550 hectares of vineyards. Its soil, a chalky composition of earth called "albariza" where the best vines grow, is of organic origin from the sedimentation of waters of an inland sea which covered the County in the Oligocene period.


The first vines planted in the Sherry County, according to Avieno -a Roman historian-, were brought by the Phoenicians towards the year 1100 BC who also founded the city of "Xera"

In the year 138 BC with the conquer of the County by Escipion "El Emiliano", a flow of sherry wine exports to Rome lasting over 400 years took place. Even at this early stage in history, the first quality controls were established by the Romans who requested all amphorae's containing Sherry Wine to be marked with four "A"s.

 
The Arabs settled in the County from 711 until 1264 AD. They renamed the town as "Sherish", hence the English word Sherry by which the British, who have been buying Sherry ever since the 11th century, know these wines.


Following the discovery of America, trading with the Indies began and the city of El Puerto de Santa María played a very important role in this commerce mainly due to its location at the mouth of the Guadalete River. Ships sailed from its Port and numerous palaces were built by the "Cargadores a Indias" (wine traders who carne from places like, Naples, Genoa, England, etc.)


Likewise, big investments took place in the Sherry County towards the end of the 17th century when English, Scottish, French and Dutch investors established their own wineries thus emphasising the international reputation of our wines which are presently protected by the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Denomination of Origin.

 


 

Criaderas and Soleras


The purpose of this system is to obtain homogeneous wines with a uniform taste. It is a dynamic system by the, so called, “corrimiento de escalas” or running up the scales with wines from different crops. In order to carry out this process, "criaderas" or breeding butts and “soleras” or yielding butts (butts at floor level holding wine ready to be drawn for bottling), are needed. Butts of each type are placed on top of each other in rows of no less than three in height. When wine is drawn or “rociado” from the "solera" butt, this in turn is refilled from the oldest "criadera" and so on following the scale with the rest of the "criaderas". 

This refilling takes place by using two very important utensils called "canoa" and “rociador", which allow for a soft springkling of the wine into the butts in a dew like fashion to avoid disrupting the yeast veil or "flor". This is a slow and costly procedure but is deemed critical in guaranting the final quality of the Sherry wines. 


El Puerto de Santa María

Located in the banks of the Guadalete River which means "River of the Forgetfulness", lays the historic city of El Puerto de Santa María. Foundation of the city is attributed to an Athenian leader in the days of the Trojan War named Menesteo who upon his arrival at the banks of the river named it "The Port of Menesteo".

In the 13th century, King Alfonso El Sabio, conquered the city and renamed it with the Christian name of "Santa María del Puerto".

In the Middle Ages the economic activity of El Puerto de Santa María was primarily devoted to: fisheries, salt and wines; the latter yielding so many benefits that the Duke exempted this commercial activity from any taxes.

El Puerto de Santa María played a very important role in the discovery of America as the first voyage of Christopher Columbus was financed by the Duke of Medinacelli, Lord of El Puerto de Santa María. Following voyages to the Americas sailed from El Puerto de Santa María.

Likewise, the first World Map is attributed to Juan de la Cosa in 1500, a local of El Puerto de Santa María, Cartographer and Pilot of the Santa María Caravel.
  
Following the discovery of America, the wealth of the city increased by means of the commercial traffic established with the Indies and by the settlement of families of Cargadores and shipowners.


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