Sherry cask cooperage in Jerez de la Frontera
The cooperages in Cadiz are a very big industry. Sherry is made with old casks that need to be fixed every certain amount of time. In this blog I will explain where to visit a Sherry cask cooperage in Jerez de la Frontera.
History of this visitable cooperage in Jerez de la Frontera
The history of this cooperage is linked to the man who gives it its name, Mr. Antonio Páez Lobato. He was born in Jerez de la Frontera.
Tonelería Antonio Páez Lobato S.A, is a family business founded in 1946, although it was in 1987 when it was established as a Public Limited Company. Currently, it remains entirely owned by the Páez Family.
This Cooperage has magnificent facilities and a staff of almost 50 highly qualified workers trained in the trade within the company itself. All this makes it possible to have a wide portfolio of clients of renowned prestige, both inside and outside Spain.
They don’t only do sherry casks but mainly they build casks for whiskey distilleries. The distilleries are mainly in Ireland and Scotland, although increasingly they export to other countries such as China, Japan, Australia, the United States and France. The annual production is around 30,000 casks.
Once at the destination, these barrels are filled with barley distillates, and after having spent a few years maturing in our oak vessels, this drink is called Whiskey.
Origin of sherry casks and their interpretation centre.
They say that the origin was from the 15th century to the 18th century. At this time sherry was not a blending wine yet as they did not use criaderas and soleras yet. Therefore, the whole cask with the sherry was taken to England. After people drank it, the distilleries started using these empty casks to store their whiskeys, which is a possible origin of the use of casks for whiskeys.
The idea of doing tours in their facility is based on the tourist attraction of the manufacture of Jerez sherry casks. Despite being an industrial production, there are parts that are still handmade. They believe that this is the key that will add value to the already famous “Sherry Casks” among lovers and those curious about Sherry wine. You can learn about the whole process of how to make sherry casks and how it started.
With the advantage of being in a privileged wine territory, they want to highlight the importance of our vessels, both new and aged, in the maturation of whiskey, which is a key piece along with Sherry wine. They believe the idea of the visitor center is positive as well as enriching in all aspects for visitors and the city of Jerez. Currently, there are only a few cooperages that open their doors to visitors. There is almost no other cooperage offering visits at the national or European level so it is a rare opportunity.
What does the visit to the sherry cask cooperage consist of:
The tour begins with an exhibition of old tools used in making casks. These are now out of use with the arrival of machines but show its history. Then, you walk through a hallway of color photos of oak forests, the sawmill, and the winery where the Sherry casks are vinified.
Subsequently, the visit continues with a projection in the audiovisual room. The film shows the different locations of the family business, the patios of oak wood drying in the open air, the large warehouses where the vinification happens in the “sherry casks”, and the process craftsmanship of making the boots.
After the video screening, the visit continues outside the cooperage. You head to the wooden patios, where you will see the entire oak drying process.
Finally, the tour ends on the floating walkway located inside the factory, where you can see the master coopers live at the different stations of the production chain. Learn about the materials used in the manufacturing process along with some explanatory panels about the barrels, the type of wood and the winemaking.
In Jerez we are lucky to find the only cooperage in Spain open to the public with a visitor center. You will be able to discover all the secrets and curiosities of the artisanal manufacturing of precious “Sherry Casks”, which enjoy great worldwide recognition due to their qualities and the unique contribution of nuances that they bring to Whiskey and other liquors.
DON’T HESITATE, AND VISIT THEM!
Sherry wine experiences
If you are looking for Sherry wine experiences from Seville or Cadiz, contact us. We do cultural and culinary experiences throughout Cadiz province.
Sherry wine tours
If you have your own transport we can accompany you while learning about Jerez-Sherry-Xeres D.O. and Manzanilla, from the vineyard to your glass. Enjoy the best Sherry bodega tours, local culture and traditions, and the local gastronomy. I can help arranging part of your trip on our Ultimate Sherry wine Tasting tour. We can also design a private tour just for you and your family.
Please watch the next video to see what do we do in the sherry winery tour:
If you are staying in Vejer de la Frontera or within Cadiz province we can organize a private Sherry wine tasting with local gourmet tapas for your group. We will go to your place and do a Sherry wine or Andalusian wine tasting for you privately. Each sherry wine will pair with a local food tapa. We can focus on premium Sherries; VORS and premium Sherries; or Andalusian wines.
If you want to learn more about Jerez de la Frontera then join my tabancos tour in Jerez. We will taste 5 different sherries with local tapas, enough for a meal in traditional tabanco. Enjoy as welll a little bit of flamenco during this tabancos tour in Jerez. Or try our sherry wine & tapas tour in Cadiz or Vejer de la Frontera! Learn about 5 different sherry wines (from dry to sweet), wine tastings, and how to pair it with gourmet traditional food from the area. The tour includes 5 tapas and 5 wines/Sherries.
Sherry wine love is very contagious, surely you will also become a sherry lover!
Contact us
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