Travel: the best Sherry bars in Jerez
Fine dining, flamenco and an array of Sherry styles: Damien Gabet follows the locals to 10 of the Spanish city’s best tabancos – it’s the perfect way to absorb the vibrant culture and laid-back pace of life
As part of a revenge strike against the Spanish Armada, England’s Queen Elizabeth I sent Francis Drake to sack Andalucía. He brought back some 3,000 barrels of ‘sack’ (Sherry) and it was an instant hit in the royal court.
So began a love affair that continues to this day. Sales hit a peak in the 19th century with many British merchants marrying into wineproducing families, thus creating ‘Sherry dynasties’. Anglo names are still seen on some of the region’s best bottles.
The Sherry trade made the small city of Jerez an economic powerhouse, which is reflected in its grand and varied architecture. Jerez today is quite different, though: it has resisted globalisation, favouring the conservative comfort of tradition and a quiet life.
Things move slowly here. People stop to talk, to have a drink. While Jerez’s aversion to change arguably stymies its progress, it also preserves its storied, deeply cultural past.
The result for those visiting is an enchanting experience, where engaging with its highlights is an activity done in the company of locals.
Despite the importance of Sherry, it’s not all about wine. The city’s claim to be one of Spain’s major flamenco hotspots is ratified at the annual Festival de Jerez every February, where the latest, greatest productions are premiered.
Flamenco is a quotidian concern, too: Sherry bars noted for their performances are not seasonal tourists traps. Friendly local patrons stand cheek to jowl year round, sipping cheap – but excellent – dry wine, while braying their praise at spirited artists on tiny stages.
These traditional Sherry bars are called ‘tabancos’, a portmanteau of the words ‘tavern’ and ‘tobacco’.
As local Sherry expert Juan Bosco Trigo Caparrini explains: ‘Tabancos were originally “half taverns”, where you drank and ate tapas, but also bought tobacco and wine, often in bulk, to take home.’
While this is rarely so nowadays, the more traditional tabancos still serve Sherry directly from the barrel. There is, however, a slowly growing number of establishments deftly pairing food – from tapas to fine-dining cuisine – with this very special wine. Here are 10 of my favourite places to drink Sherry in Jerez.