THE SHERRY TRIANGLE

Ceres, the Roman goddess, is said to have played a part in the creation of Jerez. As the Romans first arrived here they were met by billowing fields with row upon row of grapevine. Small wonder, then, that the town that came to dominate this area was named after the goddess of fertility.

The calciferous soil, mild climate and balmy Atlantic winds all combine to create the ideal conditions for wine-growing. The vineyards spread out like a fan west- and northwards with the four towns El Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota, Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda balancing on the outer edges.

BUILDING BOOM AND EU SUBSIDIES

Sadly though, the building boom is hampering the wine-growing, especially along the coast, as the farmers are discouraged from growing their wine due to the generous EU subsidies. This is a great shame. Was there ever a better aperitif than an icy cold, dry sherry? And here we have a fantastic selection to choose from. In Jerez especially, the bodegas lie cheek by jowl and you are most welcome to come in and sample the different tastes and tour the cellars with their old, American oak barrels.

HORSE-BREEDING AND FLAMENCO

The Sherry area’s claim to fame may be the wine but flamenco dancing is probably of equal importance, closely followed by the breeding of horses and bulls. As we approach Jerez we pass the grand Cartuja monastery, impossible to miss from the road. Here the Cartusian monks in days gone by practised horse-breeding and the famous “caballos de Cartuja” are well known for their stamina and gentle temperament.

Once you have reached Jerez you must take care not to lose your way, as the outskirts are rather down at heel. Ask for directions to Plaza de Arenal at the first hotel you see! The Plaza is the town centre and the best starting point for any exploration. Do visit the medieval castle, the magnificent cathedral and all the other fine churches and palaces. There are also a good many bodegas and in the pedestrian streets you can sit down at any wine bar and sip sherries of any hue, from the palest, driest manzanilla to the darkest, sweetest muscatel.

ROTA – A TRUE GEM ALONG THE WAY

Let’s drive on to Rota! It is so nice we may as well spend the night there. Hotel Duque de Nájera in the old town is your best choice, wonderful, if expensive, and with a perfect situation by the sea. There are many other hotels in the vicinity, convenient for a boat trip to Cádiz or a car tour around the Sherry triangle. The town is really in a beautiful location with sandy beaches and a broad strip of pine forest and sand dunes, quite intact. The old town is picturesque and there you can find a defence fortress from the 14th century, some fine churches and a museum of modern art housed in an old palace.

THE FISHING VILLAGES NORTH OF THE GUADALQUIVIR

Chipiona is a small place with a tall lighthouse on a cape far out in the Atlantic marking the entrance into the Guadalquivir. Here, too, are marvellous, long, sandy beaches and a promenade running parallel with the beach. There is a lovely 16th century church and a beautifully cloistered monastery, both recently renovated.

Chipiona is renowned for its good, sweet muscatel wine while Sanlúcar is the home of the manzanilla, the palest, driest and most elegant variety of the Jerez fino category. There is a museum dedicated to this noble drink and you will find it in Sanlúcar’s old town. Here, splendid ancient palaces are crowded together with early churches and monasteries and no fewer than 17

bodegas open their doors to thirsty visitors.

Down in the harbour there is a busy trade with fresh fish of all varieties and you can enjoy a lobster with your manzanilla at any of the restaurants along the estuary. Tourist boats sail out from here to the National Park Doñana, an unspoiled marshland and a true eldorado for migratory birds from colder climes.

A FADED BEAUTY

Our last destination is El Puerto de Santa Maria, no less lacking in sandy beaches or marshland. The sherry wines flow freely and the bodegas, notably with the famous Osborne trademark, the black bull, pop up everywhere around the town. El Puerto must once have been a prosperous town, judging by all the beautiful façades you encounter as you take a stroll through the town. Some of them have been beautifully renovated, others are in dire need of restoration. This old harbour town, founded by the Greeks, experienced a fantastic business boom from the trade with Latin America. Sadly, the car traffic is now quite intrusive, making it difficult to appreciate fully all that this town has to offer: the San Marco fortress, the Mayor Prioral church and the bullfight arena, to name but a few of its treasures.

From El Puerto the motorway is the swiftest alternative for your onward or return journey, but why not choose a different route - maybe take a detour via the two interesting towns Vejer and Tarifa?

Sherry everywhere

The beach in Rota

The church in Rota

Las salinas