Lustau is chosen Best Spanish Wine Producer at the IWSC in London

Although the year 2011 is gradually drawing to a close, it is a year never to be forgotten by the centennial Sherry bodegas of Lustau in the Calle Arcos, Jerez.

Just last week, at the historical Guildhall in London, the International Wine & Spirits Competition held its trophy ceremony and Lustau was competing with other producers from such traditional wine producing regions as La Rioja, or the Ribera del Duero, as a candidate for the title of "Best Spanish Wine Producer".

When the moment of truth arrived, and the famous phrase "... and the winner is ... Emilio Lustau" was  heard, a storm of applause burst forth from the audience.  Lustau had again obtained  the top score and confirmed the recognition which its Sherries are enjoying internationally. Without doubt, the twenty six medals Lustau has achieved this year are a legitimate support of this nomination.

This and the other trophies obtained by the bodega in 2011 make for an unforgettable year, but this doesn't close a circle.  Lustau is enjoying a momento of máximum splendour, which has probably led to its being the Spanish wine producer to earn most awards and prizes, but which also augurs many more successes in the coming years. 

The bells ring again for Lustau in London

The results follow the lines of those announced in May, and four of the six trophies destined for the wines of the Denomination of Origin Jerez-Xérès-Sherry will soon be on show in the mahogany and glass antique cabinets of the Lustau bodegas in Jerez.  Thus, Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa has been awarded the Manzanilla Trophy, whilst two very old wines, each with more than thirty years’ ageing behind them,  Lustau Palo Cortado VORS and  Lustau Pedro Ximénez VORS (true oenological jewels) have been awarded the Palo Cortado Trophy and the Pedro Ximénez Trophy, respectively.

A very special mention should be made here of Lustau’s Fino La Ina, outright winner of the Fino Trophy of the International Wine Challenge. Over the course of the year 2011, this emblematic fino sherry has been awarded three Gold medals (International Wine Challenge, International Wine & Spirit Competition – also given the mention “Best in Class”, and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles). In the three years that Fino La Ina has been under the tutorship of Lustau’s oenologist, Manuel Lozano, the recognition given to this wine the world over has been impressive, a reflection of the optimum moment this flagship wine from Jerez is enjoying.

Manuel Lozano is chosen for the third consecutive year as Best Fortified Wine Maker at the IWC

The year 2011 will stick in the memory of the Lustau bodegas and in the memory of their winemaker, Manuel Lozano.

A very short time ago four of Lustau’s sherries were chosen amongst the six best wines of the Denomination of Origin Sherry and Manzanilla, and now their creator, Lustau’s winemaker Manuel Lozano is savouring the sweetness of success.  This particular triumph is not new to him, however, as 2011 is the third year running that he has been awarded this prestigious prize by London’s International Wine Challenge.

The Hilton Hotel on Park Lane was once again the venue for the gala dinner and prize giving, with almost a thousand attendees – organizers, wine journalists and representatives of all the wine producers nominated for the awards.  In the case of Manuel Lozano, some twenty five of “his” wines gained medals in this year’s International Wine Challenge, ten of which were GOLD MEDALS.  This most certainly tipped the balance in favour of the winemaker from Jerez, to the disappointment of the representatives of Madeira and Oporto.

To add to the nomination of “Best Fortified Wine Maker”, this year Manuel has also taken the “Len Evans” Trophy, which gives recognition to the most consistent contender over the last five years.  In this period Manuel’s sherries have harvested over one hundred medals, which leaves his work and consistency for quality renowned without any shadow of a doubt.

In the Sherry region the winemaker is key to the correct ageing of the wines.  Both Sherry and Manzanilla have a minimum ageing period of three years, and yet some are aged for more than thirty.  This is in contrast to other wine producing regions, where the blending of different grape varieties, or the place of origin of those grapes, has more importance and value.  Manuel, who has been Lustau’s winemaker for a decade now, has had the foresight to take the traditional values of Sherry production, and use them to give the Lustau wines a marked and distinct character, which has earned worldwide recognition.

Lustau Brandy de Jerez wins hands down in London

Lustau’s brandies, which come under the Specific Denomination “Brandy de Jerez”, are following in the footsteps of their elder brothers, the Lustau Sherries and  Manzanilla.

The latter have again proved their quality to the world wine press and the new range of Brandies from Lustau has followed suit, taking the top awards at the recently held International Wine and Spirits Competition.

These results are extremely positive for the new Brandy range from Lustau.  The only 2 Gold Medals distinguished with the mention “Best in Class” were awarded to “Lustau Brandy Solera Reserva” and “Lustau Brandy Solera Gran Reserva Finest Selection”, whilst “Lustau Brandy Solera Gran Reserva 1977” gained another of the Gold Medals within the Spanish Brandy category.

The “Lustau Brandy Solera Reserva” is aged for some three years in oak butts which have previously held Oloroso Sherry, and the “Lustau Brandy Solera Gran Reserva Finest Selection” is the result of a selection of the best butts of the company’s Solera Gran Reserva, which necessarily means limited releases. The solera of the Brandy Lustau 1977 is made up of only five butts and has an ageing period of some 34 years, which makes the product absolutely unique.

The Caballero Group of Companies, parent company of Lustau, has taken 35% of the prizes awarded by the IWSC to Spanish spirits and liqueurs producers. This backs up their leadership of the spirits category,  which includes Ponche Caballero, Miura – a wild cherry and aniseed liqueur, and the flavoured vodkas Sildka, all of which gained awards in this British competition.

Four of the six trophies awarded by the IWC to wines from the Denomination of Origin Jerez & Manzanilla go to Lustau

The International Wine Challenge, the prestigious international wine competition held annually in London, has rediscovered Lustau’s Sherries.  Two months after having awarded Lustau no less than twenty five medals (ten of which were Golds), the IWC has announced the recipients of the Trophies (highest award possible) for the best wines in each category or region, in this case for Sherries and Manzanilla.

These results follow the lines of the medals announced in May, and Lustau has taken four of the six Trophies awarded to wines from the Denomination of Origin “Jerez-Xérès-Sherry”.  The Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa was awarded the Manzanilla Trophy, whilst the Lustau VORS Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximénez wines (true oenological jewels, with more than thirty years ageing) have each taken the Trophy for their style of Sherry.

A special mention must be made of the Fino La Ina, which has taken the Fino Trophy awarded by the IWC.  This emblematic wine of Jerez has taken three further Gold medals over the course of this year, (International Wine Challenge, International Wine & Spirit Competition -  also elected ”Best in Class”  -  and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles).  During the three years that La Ina has been “tutored” by Lustau’s oenologist, Manuel Lozano, La Ina has accrued several awards, reflecting that this wine, the solera of which dates back to 1919, is enjoying one of its best moments.

Lustau sweeps to victory again in London

The company has proven once again its leadership as a producer of sherries and manzanilla.  This is endorsed by the spectacular results harvested at the three most important wine competitions, having achieved almost seventy medals.

Specifically, sixty eight medals were awarded to Lustau in the International Wine Challenge, International Wine & Spirit Competition and the Decanter World Wine Awards.  Twenty of these were gold medals, thirty four in the bronze and silver categories, taking the lion’s share of the awards and trophies for sherries and manzanilla.

Legendary brands of Lustau, such as the Oloroso Emperatriz Eugenia, have again won recognition for their quality, having achieved a gold medal and also the “Best in Class” qualification at the IWSC.  With these traditional wines we should include in the list of awards the latest launches from the Lustau bodegas – the new and exclusive range of VORS sherries and the last vintage sherry to be released (1977).

The new 30 year old sherries which were launched at the beginning of this year – Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez VORS – have earned six gold medals and five silvers, whilst the Rich Oloroso Añada 1997 has merited the Regional Trophy at the Decanter awards, which distinguishes it as the best wine from the region of Jerez.

The case of the Fino La Ina is also worth a mention.  This brand, and of course the actual wine, was acquired by Lustau in June 2008.  Two gold medals and the qualification by the IWSC of “Best in Class” pronounce this fino’s return to its rightful position as one of the best fino sherries on the market.  The Amontillado Botaina, from the same range, as La Ina, has been awarded two golds and a silver.

These results reaffirm Lustau’s serious commitment to quality sherries and manzanilla over the years.  All the different ranges – from the exclusive VORS wines to the popularly renowned La Ina – have received the international wine critics’ applause, demonstrating Lustau’s capacity to create and age excellent quality sherries.

Lustau charms Hungarian wine critics. ?East India Solera? triumphs at the first edition of the VINCE wine fair competition in the Magyar capital

Budapest was recently the host city for the first edition of the VinCE wine fair and competition, and Lustau participated alongside the local wines of Tokaj together with wines from other prestigious wine regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany, California, La Rioja, and of course, Jerez.

Both the fair and the wine competition were organized by the Hungarian edition of the renowned British magazine DECANTER.  Important names from the world of wine participated and judged the wines, such as the British ladies Jancis Robinson and Sarah Jane Evans, both Masters of Wine.

Lustau was present on the stand of the Andalusian Export Promotion Agency, EXTENDA, and poured its emblematic Oloroso wine, Emperatriz Eugenia, at the tasting which Ms Evans masterfully directed and commented.  Lustau’s East India Solera was chosen to participate in the wine competition and was chosen as “Best Foreign Wine”.

This sweet Oloroso wine is the fruit of combining aged Oloroso with Pedro Ximénez.  Once blended, the resulting wine is further aged in Lustau’s Sacristía for a period of some three years.  In the words of Sarah Jane Evans, it is a “wine of fantastic depth”.

Lustau\'s Pedro Ximénez San Emilio, Best Sweet Wine at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2010

Lustau has again shown its expertise in making wines of the highest quality, competing with some of the greatest wines of the world.  Yesterday the results of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles were announced and Lustau’s Pedro Ximénez SAN EMILIO triumphed as the overall winner of the sweet wine category.

At this edition of the Brussels wine competition some 6,962 wines, liqueurs and spirits were entered, of which only six were awarded the much sought after Trophies in each of the different categories, which reflects the enormity of Lustau’s achievement.  The different categories of wines were reds, whites, sparkling wines, rosés, spirits and sweet wines.  The SAN EMILIO was the only Spanish contender to receive a Trophy.

The participation of sweet sherries in this competition has been outstanding this year.  Two other PX producers from the Jerez area took away with them one of the Grandes Médailles d’Or, but Lustau topped them all to take the maximum award – the BEST SWEET WINE TROPHY.

Two hundred and seventy five judges, of forty different nationalities, tasted the wines and liqueurs inscribed in the competition.  Wine writers, importers, buyers from the big chain supermarkets – all of them gave recognition to the greatness of the sherries presented, placing Lustau’s Pedro Ximénez SAN EMILIO in the Olympus of the oenological world.

Señor Lustau Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez is awarded a Gold Medal by the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London

The prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition, which is held in London, has named Lustau's top brandy de Jerez "Best in Class" and awarded it a Gold Medal.

In 2010 the IWSC is celebrating its 41^st edition, and spirits from the five continents have competed for the awards.  Lustau's Solera Gran Reserva Brandy was the only Brandy de Jerez, and indeed the only Spanish Brandy, to achieve a Gold Medal.

Lustau,  renowned for its impressive range of Sherries, keeps a small bodega reserved for a solera of brandy at its picturesque installations on the Calle Arcos in Jerez.  This solera was set up by Don Emilio Lustau Ortega in 1940, and only very small withdrawals are made in order to preserve its character and complexity.

Señor Lustau has a bright amber colour, and perfect clarity.  On the nose the Brandy offers noble wood aromas, whilst on the palate it is warming and has great depth, the result of ageing over a period of more than ten years.  To be enjoyed after a good meal, without haste, and with all five senses.

Manuel Lozano named Best Fortified Wine Maker for the second successive year by the International Wine Challenge in London

Manuel Lozano, Lustau's oenologist, has been awarded the title "Best Fortified Wine Maker", challenging wine makers of such traditional wines as Ports and Madeiras.

On 7 September, the gala dinner of the XXVII edition of the International Wine Challenge was held at the Hilton Hotel, and the award was announced on this occasion.

It is the second consecutive year that Manuel Lozano has been named as winner for this award, which reflects his consistency in maintaining the exceptional quality of Lustau's wines, and gives weight to the importance of the wines of the Denomination of Origin Jerez and Manzanillas from Sanlúcar de Barrameda within the international wine panorama.

The work of the oenologist is particularly important in a region such as Jerez, where the sherries and manzanillas only begin to develop their personality once they arrive in the bodegas.  Through the system of solera and criaderas the wine maker helps them to "grow" and take on the special traits which characterize our wines.

With this recognition, Lustau again shows its leadership in the field of Sherry, and Manuel Lozano heads a well qualified team which shows the maximum respect for tradition and which has  

put Sherry at the forefront.

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