González Byass: Strengthening Sherry’s position among the world’s finest wines

Imagine a wine auction and it’s easy to picture bottles of Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne going under the hammer. Yet a recent sale at Christie’s auction house in London shows that connoisseurs are showing an increased interest in adding bottles of Sherry to their collections.

A lot consisting of González Byass Matusalem Sherries from 1908, 1909, and 1911 fetched £4,750 – a hammer price that rivals many of the top wines made by Bordelais and Burgundian châteaux, and the most-expensive Sherries ever bottled by the family-owned winery.

All of González Byass’ lots sold at the auction, including Pio IX 1846, part of a series dedicated to the inauguration of Popes, and an Oloroso 1886, which was bottled to commemorate the birth of Manuel María González, the grandson of the founder of the Sherry house.

‘These bottlings represent an important part of Sherry’s history, and their performance highlights a growing appreciation for the category among fine wine collectors,’ says Tim Triptree, Master of Wine (MW) and international director at Christie's Wines & Spirits. ‘Historic Sherry remains an exciting area of growth within the fine wine market.’

Melissa Draycott, managing director of González Byass UK, adds: ‘Selling a collection of historic Sherries at auction is a dream that has been nearly three years in the making following a trip to Jerez with Tim Triptree MW in 2023. We were thrilled to see the Sherries attracting similar or higher prices than Lots of Premier Cru Bordeaux.’

Innovation built on heritage

Success in the auction room is built on a heritage that stretches back to 1835 when Manuel María González Ángel, a young entrepreneur from Jerez de la Frontera, turned to his Uncle José – affectionately known as Tío Pepe or ‘Uncle Pepe’ – for advice about getting into the wine trade.

Preserving that heritage in liquid form is key to the winery’s future. Its archive stretches back for decades, delivering spellbinding wines to create exceptional blends, such as its Dulce Nombre 1986 Palomino – capturing sweet and elegant notes from La Canariera vineyard – or its vintage wines, which demonstrate Sherry’s ageing potential, rarity, and collectability.

Tío Pepe is now one of the world’s most recognisable Fino Sherries and remains at the forefront of González Byass’ innovations. Each spring, the company releases a limited quantity of its unfiltered 'en rama' Sherries, capturing the salty freshness and distinctive bread notes from the 'flor', the layer of yeast that protects the Sherry from the air as it ages in its barrels.

Tío Pepe's Palmas collection

In the autumn, four rare, barrel-selected Fino and Amontillado Sherries are also bottled 'en rama' to form the 'Palmas' range, which consists of: Una Palma, a six-year-old Fino; Dos Palmas, an eight-year-old Fino; a 10-year-old Fino labelled as Tres Palmas; and Cuatro Palmas, a stunning 52-year-old Amontillado.

Wines from just three casks within a 139-barrel solera were used to create Una, highlighting the intense salty flavours from the Macharnudo and Carrascal vineyards. Only two casks from a 148-barrel solera were selected for Duo, which delivers a slight creaminess.

Just one barrel from a 149-cask solera was chosen for Tres, which treads the line between Fino and Amontillado, producing salty, spicy, and creamy intensity. Cuatro, formed from half a single cask, received 95 points and a gold medal at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards; ‘This gem is old and refined, almost decadent, but still subtle,’ sang the judges.

A six-bottle vertical selection from the Tío Pepe Palmas series was among the lots at Christie’s auction in London. ‘Each year a wine expert is recruited to help select the wines for release and “my” 2013 Palmas selection was in the offer,’ laughs Master of Wine Sarah Jane Evans. ‘The cellars of González Byass are a treasure house, hosting an astonishing collection of rare wines.’

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