My visit to Jerez de la Frontera introduced me to the world of sherry. The visit to Bodegas Fundador, one of the oldest and most famous sherry cellars in the region, was a great and unique tasting experience for us.
Bodegas Fundador
Bodegas Fundador is one of the best-known and oldest sherry cellars in Spain. Founded in 1730 in Jerez de la Frontera, it is known for the production of sherry and brandy. It was originally known as “Bodegas Pedro Domecq”. It was later renamed “Bodegas Fundador”.

The winery played an important role in the development and popularity of sherry worldwide. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was one of the leading exporters of sherry to Great Britain and other parts of the world.
Over the years, Bodegas Fundador has received several awards for its products and is a guarantee of quality and tradition in the world of sherry and brandy. With the merger of Bodegas Fundador and Harveys under the umbrella of Grupo Emperador Spain, both brands have extended their reach and influence in the world of sherry and brandy production. Harveys is a well-known brand, famous for its Bristol Cream Sherry.

Guided tour of the bodegas
Guided tours of the bodegas are one of the most popular activities for visitors to Jerez. At certain times, there are special offers where bus groups are guided through the complex. There are also tours for individuals, which are offered in different languages. It is advisable to book the tour in advance.

The visit began with a guided tour of the bodegas, where a very friendly tour guide explained the fascinating sherry production process to us. The sherry production process is complex and unique.
Sherry production
First of all, you should know that sherry can only be produced in the sherry triangle around Jerez. There are only three different grape varieties that producers are allowed to use: Palomino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez.
After the grapes have been harvested and the grape juice produced, fermentation begins and then the wine is matured in barrels. The sherry producers use different methods, which were explained to us very well and in an easy-to-understand way during the tour.

I was particularly impressed by the explanation of the solera method, a traditional process in which young and older wines are blended in a system of barrels. This traditional system is unique in the world of wine. It consists of a series of barrels arranged in different “floors”. The youngest, still unripe product is filled in the top row, the oldest sherry is in the bottom row. When the sherry is ready for bottling, a maximum of 1/3 of the contents is removed from the bottom row of barrels. The missing quantity is filled with the younger sherry from the row above and the quantity taken from there is filled with the wine from the top row. This process ensures continuous blending and maturation of the sherry, which gives it its characteristic, balanced taste.
Huge sherry warehouses
Bodegas Fundador is known for its impressive storage facilities. These are known as “bodegas”. These historic buildings have high ceilings, thick walls and window openings. The temperature is always relatively constant, providing the ideal conditions for maturing sherry.

The most impressive element of the winery are the wine barrels. The barrels, carefully arranged in long rows, form an almost labyrinthine pattern through the cool, shady cellars.
Some of the barrels are centuries old and made of American oak. The air in the warehouses is filled with the scent of wine – a mixture of alcohol, wood and grapes.


During the tour, very special barrels were pointed out to us. Some bear the signatures of famous visitors and other barrels have been set up for the royal family.

I was particularly impressed by the huge bodega that we visited on a neighboring site. The construction with its pillars and arches reminded me a lot of my visit to the mosque-cathedral in Córdoba. I have no idea how many barrels are stored there, but the view from a small visitor platform into the hall was really impressive.
Museum bodega
One of the bodegas has been converted into a museum. Here we had some time to look around on our own.

As is usual for a museum, there was of course information about the company and its history. However, I was more interested in the old equipment that the winegrowers used in the past to make wine and later bottle it.
We had already seen beautiful carriages in the town’s carriage museum and in the Bodegas Fundador museum we were able to admire even more excellently preserved horse-drawn carriages.

I would have liked to have had a little more time here to look at the exhibits, but the tasting tempted us and we went to the “tasting room”!
Sherry tasting at the Bodegas Fundador
When we booked our tour, we had to decide how many different drinks we wanted to taste. The price of the tour also depends on this.
We opted for the 3+1 package, which allowed us to try 3 sherries and a brandy. There were two other couples in the tour group who had made the same choice and so we sat at a table with Swiss and Americans. It turned out that we were a good match and the conversation was great fun.

One by one, we were presented with our samples and the corresponding explanations. I found it very exciting to learn about the different types of sherry – from dry Fino to sweet Pedro Ximénez. Each variety is stored under specific conditions and therefore develops unique aromas and flavors.
What did we drink?
Bodegas Fundador offers a wide range of sherries and brandies that are popular all over the world. During the tasting offered, we tried these 3 different sherries and this brandy:
Harveys Fino Premium:
- Type: Fino Sherry
- Characteristics: This sherry is known for its dryness, pale straw yellow color and delicate almond aromas. Harveys Fino Premium is matured under a layer of yeast, known as “flor”, which gives it a unique, fresh and crisp character.
- Serving recommendation: Ideally chilled as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to light dishes such as seafood, tapas or sushi, this sherry tastes particularly good.
As with the fino sherry varieties from other bodegas, this type of sherry was not full-bodied enough for me. Perhaps it is due to the lack of sweetness, but this sherry would not be my first choice.
Harveys Oloroso Premium:
- Type: Oloroso Sherry
- Characteristics: A darker, full-bodied sherry with intense aromas of nuts, dried fruit and a hint of sweet spices. In contrast to Fino, Oloroso matures without the flor yeast layer, which results in a richer and stronger taste.
- Serving recommendation: Harveys Oloroso Premium is an excellent accompaniment to mature cheeses, red meat and spicy dishes.
This sherry was exactly to my taste: sweet – but not too sweet, wonderfully fruity and round in flavor.

Harveys Bristol Cream:
- Type: Cream Sherry
- Characteristics: A popular choice and a classic known for its rich, velvety texture and sweet flavors of raisins, figs and dates. Harveys Bristol Cream is a blend of different types of sherry, including Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez.
- Serving suggestions: Can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or as part of a cocktail. Ideal as a dessert wine or as an accompaniment to sweet desserts. We drank the sherry on ice.
Cream sherry is very sweet as it is made from dried grapes, which are very sugary. I liked it, but most people find this type of sherry too sweet and drink it on ice rather than neat.
Fundador Sherry Cask Brandy:
- Type: Brandy
- Characteristics: This brandy is matured in ex-sherry casks, which gives it complex aromas and a deep, golden color. The Fundador Sherry Cask Brandy is known for its balanced combination of sweetness and spice with notes of dried fruit, vanilla and oak.
- Serving recommendation: Perfect for pure enjoyment or as a base for high-quality cocktails. We enjoyed it neat.
I really enjoyed this brandy, which was the first brandy I had drunk so far. However, I can’t compare it to other brandies. In any case, the taste was so good that we actually bought a bottle in the Bodegas Fundador store, contrary to our usual habits.
We had a great time with our companions at the tasting. Little by little, the room around us emptied, the glasses on the other tables disappeared and the staff cleaned up. Then we were given a little “second helping” and were allowed to try another Vermouth, followed by the cautious hint that the bodegas would now be closing and a glance at the clock showed us that we had been sitting together for almost 1.5 hours.

Finally, of course, we went through the Bodegas Fundador store. We weren’t the only ones to stock up on drinks, our fellow visitors were also busy buying. For us, this was a sign that everyone had a good time.
For us, it was a great visit, a tasty experience and a wonderful memory of Jerez and its sherry.
Visitor information
Address:
C. Prta de Rota, S/N,
11408 Jerez de la Frontera, Spanien
How to get there
Bodegas Fundador befindet sich in Jerez de la Frontera, genauer in der Calle Puerta de Rota s/n. Für Besucher, die mit dem Auto anreisen, steht ein Außenparkplatz zur Verfügung.
Opening hours
Tuesday-Thursday: 12 noon
Friday: 12 and 7 pm
Saturday: 11 am, 1 pm and 7 pm
Closed: Sunday, Monday
The following times apply in July and August:
Tuesday-Thursday: 12 noon
Friday: 12 and 8 p.m.
Saturday: 11 am, 1 pm and 8 pm
closed: Sunday, Monday
Price guided tour + tasting
The price of the guided tour followed by a sherry tasting depends on the package selected. These differ in the number and quality of the sherries.
For example: The entrance fee for a tour including a premium tasting of Fundador Supremo brandy is €35 per person.
Accessibility
The Bodegas Fundador are barrier-free and therefore also accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.
Source: Andalusia.org
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