Wine Bodegas & Tapas in Jerez
Located upon one of many hills mid-way between the nearby mountains of the sierra and the shining white towns and villages of the coast, Jerez, Spain is where Sherry wines share the stage with other age-old symbols of the city, such as flamenco and horse breeding. Locals here say that you can’t possibly understand Sherry wines without first understanding the food. For them it’s all about the food and the wine provide an ideal pairing. Today you'll sample both from an area know for its cuisine!
Your visit to Jerez will include visits to two wine bodegas, including one of a growing number of wineries focusing its production on red wines and the other producing some of the finest sherry wines in the region.
While Sherry is still king in Jerez, there are some wine estates creating red wine varietals such as Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bodegas Luis Perez is one of them. Located just outside the city, the estate of Luis Perez offers views over the surrounding countryside along with vineyards of twenty different grape varieties. You’ll tour the winery and enjoy a tasting of three of their wines paired with some tasty appetizers.
Next is a visit to Bodegas Tradición, a newer winery, but one that holds the honor of being the successor of the oldest winery in the region. In addition to sherry production, the winery has a small but valuable collection of Spanish paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries on site. Here you’ll taste three wines and a sample of one of their brandy wines.
After your winery visits you will transfer to the historical city center of Jerez for a wine paired lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. The sherry centered menu will start with a selection of tapas, and will be paired with local wines from the Cádiz region. You will have a little free time after lunch to walk around before heading back to the ship