THE SHERRY TRIANGLE

Jerez de la Frontera embodies the Andalusian culture with sherrymaking, soulful flamenco roots, and a prestigious equestrian legacy

- VEIDEHI GITE

Tucked in the heart of Andalusia, Jerez de la Frontera may be overshadowed by its larger neighbours, but every nook and cranny of its old quarter echoes an affluent past, anchored by the towering 11th-century Alcázar de Jerez. But it's not just the architecture that tells the tale of Jerez.

A distinctly Andalusian rhythm beats in perfect time with the flamenco guitars and stomping heels, the thunderous strides of Andalusian horses, and the unmistakable aroma of sherry-accentuating Jerez's role as the epicentre of the Sherry Triangle.

A perfect reflection of Jerez itself is the Bodegas Marqués del Real Tesoro where over 25,000 oak barrels hold thousands of litres of sherry.

As the ponderous doors part with a creak, they instantly envelop you in an olfactory confluence-a mélange of timeworn wood and the palpable, reverent weight of history itself.

That weight is deeply rooted in Real Tesoro's noble lineage, established by Don Joaquin Manuel de Villena, whose grandfather earned the title of first Marquis of the Royal Treasury from King Carlos III for safeguarding royal treasure ships from pirate raids.

This legacy of prestige was further cemented in 1897 when the bodega acquired centuries-old soleras from the Duke of Villacreces, a custodian of some of the region's most esteemed sherry reserves. The vineyards of Jerez de la Frontera served as a Roman trading hub before falling under Visigothic and later Moorish rule. The modern word 'Jerez' evolved from Arabic origins, deriving from "sharish." Until fairly recent times, this Spanish city was known in written form as 'Xeres,' reflecting the historical linguistic transformation from its Arabic roots. The fortified Sherry wine is made primarily from the Palomino Fino-a grape named in honour of Fernán Palomino, a medieval knight from 13th-century Spain.