The city of Jerez de la Frontera is at the heart of the Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO that shares its name This is one the oldest wine-producing regions in Spain thought to have been established by the Phoenicians more than 3,000 years ago The old part of the city is built around the medieval Moorish fortress of the Alcázar and the 17th-century Christian cathedral But the region’s distinctive architecture owes much to another kind of cathedral: the old bodegas or ‘Sherry cathedrals’ typically built during the zenith of the Sherry industry in the 19th century The Fiestas de la Vendimia takes place over two weeks in early September The festival program offers a range of wine and cultural activities Tabancos – old wine and tobacco shops, converted into small bars – are an important part of social life in the city. Some, like well-known El Pasaje and El Guitarrón de San Pedro are lively spots for traditional tapas and Other, lesser-known bodegas are also ripe for discovery and these hold their own treasures. Norwegian Jan Pettersen realised a long-held dream when he acquired the prestigious Fernando de Castilla bodega in 1999 and each year the spring bottling of fino en rama (drawn directly from cask bottled unfined and unfiltered) is not to be missed Bodegas Faustino González is a family affair the late Faustino González Aparicio (a doctor) purchased soleras dating back to 1789 from the Alcázar of Jerez adding them to the bodega owned by his wife Carmen; today their 12 children are all partners in the business with son Jaime González at the helm and two others actively involved All of their artisan Sherries are bottled en rama Ximénez Spínola produces wines exclusively using Pedro Ximénez with an impressive range that includes still wines and dry Sherry as well as the intensely sweet style typical of PX The region’s two other key traditional centres of production Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María are also two of the easiest day trips by public transport from Jerez de la Frontera charming old towns and (more) Sherry are all just a short train or bus ride away Sanlúcar de Barrameda is situated on the estuary of the Guadalquivir river maritime microclimate here results in a thicker layer of flor – the yeast cells that settle on top of the wine in a barrel and protect it from contact with air – integral to the refreshing and delicate style of manzanilla wines and climb the steep street up to the 15th-century Castillo de Santiago for sprawling views of the town and estuary don’t miss the Sanlúcar horse races along the beach About 15km to the southwest of Jerez is El Puerto de Santa María, on the Bay of Cádiz. Lustau, part of the Caballero group since 1990 is the only Sherry producer with wineries located in all three of the key Sherry cities; visit its winery at El Puerto’s San Marcos castle (two-hour tour and tasting: adults €16 The Jerez-Xérès-Sherry DO consejo regulador the DO announced an expansion of the Sherry maturation zone beyond the three main cities that form what has in the past been thought of as the ‘Sherry Triangle’ The boundaries of the region’s production and maturation zones have been realigned so that it forms more of a Sherry ‘rectangle’ Puerto Real and Chiclana could only grow grapes and produce base wine under the auspices of the DO Alongside these and other regulatory changes six grape varieties that were quite common in the region pre-phylloxera (which arrived here in 1894) have been authorised for Sherry production and are being reintroduced It’s an exciting time for the region as it expands and evolves each only about half an hour’s drive from Jerez de la Frontera Below are three of the six that offer winery or wine museum visits but local wines can be tasted in the bars and restaurants of all six towns Just off the main N-4 road from Jerez to Seville, Lebrija is a medieval market town with charming white houses overlooking the Guadalquivir marshes. Bodegas Halcón offers visits by appointment; visits to Bodegas González Palacios (@lebrijavinos) are available on Saturday mornings by appointment a non-profit association that compiles information on wineries and wine-tourism activities in the DO Casa Palacio María Luisa This 5-star luxury hotel won the 2024 World Travel Awards category for leading boutique hotel in Spain It’s located in the old city and is organised around a stunning central tiled courtyard The rooms are decorated in a classic contemporary style and the hotel has its own restaurant Hotel Palacio Corredera This charming hotel in a converted convent is just a short walk from both the city centre and the train station spacious rooms and suites facing onto a light-filled inner patio La Gitanilla Alojamiento & Encanto This lovingly restored house dates back to 1865 it offers modern comfort in a traditional setting Expect personal service and a unique Jerezano experience including a 24-hour Sherry honour bar and a terrace with views of the cathedral El Bichero Having established a reputation as a seafood temple in the centre of Jerez El Bichero has since moved to larger and more elegant premises on the eastern outskirts of the city La Carboná La Carboná is set in a beautifully restored Sherry bodega – a vast yet cosy space Located in the city centre and open for lunch and dinner daily except Tuesdays Mantúa A one-star Michelin restaurant that offers two seasonal tasting menus in an elegant six-table dining room Service is impeccable without being stuffy La Casa del Jerez La Casa stocks an extensive range of Sherry wines It also hosts regular tastings and will ship purchases internationally Open Monday-Friday 9.30am-2.30pm/5.30-8.30pm this brand new gourmet food and wine shop on Plaza Esteve is run by a passionate and knowledgeable young team It stocks excellent Sherries and brandies as well as local table wines There are frequent direct flights to Seville (one hour away by train) and some direct European flights to Jerez but some are also accessible by public transport View this post on Instagram A post shared by SAAM Club de mar (@saamclubdemar) If in addition to the must-visit beach bars in Cadiz, you want to know the mandatory stops in the rest of the country, discover the 25 best beach bars in Spain, according to Tapas Magazine