Williams & Humbert History in the Heart of Jerez
It’s hard to think about sherry from Spain and not immediately also think Williams & Humbert.
Founded in 1877 by brothers-in-law Sir Andrew Williams and Arthur Humbert, the history of the Williams & Humbert winery is one of the longest and most impressive in the region. Wanting to craft their own Vinos de Jerez, the brothers established the cellar and created a sizeable solera — the same building still houses and ages Williams & Humbert wines today. Located in Jerez de la Frontera, the heart of sherry country, the bodegas’ vineyards now span more than 486 hectares / 1,200 acres.
Williams and Humbert also created of one of the world’s most famous sherry brands, Dry Sack (a derivative of the word “saca,” the wine drawn down from the solera for bottling). Launched in 1906, this sherry used to be packaged in a burlap sack and the name has been used ever since to promote the “Heritage Series” of wines, the bodega’s most popular range. Later, in the 1920s, the bodega became one of the founding members of the DO Jerez-Xérès-Brandy, the official body that establishes and enforces standards for high-quality production in the region.
In the 1970s, the winery changed hands but still remained a family-owned company with the Medinas taking up the reins. As local winemakers with extensive experience in making sherry wines for other bodegas, the Medina family used their knowledge of traditional practices along with a modern approach to marketing to elevate their wines even further to new sherry lovers the world over. Their sherries are now considered among the best wines from Spain, and they continue to set ever-higher benchmarks for quality.
Williams & Humbert Sherries Highlights
Williams & Humbert is the holder of the largest amount of sherry inventory in Jerez.
Among its collection of sherries, the winery has an incredibly diverse offering of old Rare and Very Rare aged wines.
Despite a change of stewardship, the winery has only ever been family owned.
Paola Medina is recognized as one of the best winemakers in Spain and a leading ambassador for wines from Jerez. Decanter Magazine has named her one of the top 10 Spanish winemakers.
Jerez: Sherry Capital of Andalucia
Jerez is the most famous city in the sherry “triangle,” the region established around the three principal sherry-producing towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, El Puerto de Santa María, and Jerez itself — it is a vibrant and colorful city whose very foundations bleed sherry. Here you’ll find traditional tabancos (sherry bars) that serve up tapas long into the night with strains of flamenco echoing across most street corners.
Other wines may be poured, but this is sherry heartland. Bars and restaurants stock the best bottles of sherry from top producers and also typically offer sherry by the glass served directly from barrel. And the best restaurants will often serve tasting menus paired only with sherry wines.
Nights finish late in Jerez. Groups of friends will end an evening with a bottle of the region’s finest Fino or Oloroso, along with a round-up of the day’s gossip and politics. Many questions are raised … but sherry is always the answer.
Vinos de Jerez: A Unique Spanish Terroir
Williams & Humbert control over 485 hectares / 1,200 acres of vineyard area. Out of the total acreage, they own 250 hectares / 617 acres of vines in the two historic regions of Añina and Carrascal. The latter is more inland, while the former enjoys more influence from the Atlantic Ocean. The winery vinifies the grapes from these two areas separately so their different characteristics can be preserved in the final blends.
Key to the quality of wines from Jerez: the famous Albariza soil. Unique to the region, it is ancient, mineral rich, and porous, retaining beneficial moisture in this hot, arid climate. The high limestone content renders it a dazzling white color (“albariza” means white earth) and palomino, the main grape of the region, positively thrives in it.
Organic Goals for Williams & Humbert
For over 25 years, Williams & Humbert has been a pioneer in sustainable practices in the Jerez region. During this time, they have abandoned chemical pesticides in favor of a more wholistic approach to managing their vineyards. A key part of this strategy has been the introduction of pheromones to control pests. They also closely monitor the vines by drones and have conducted extensive research into the soils to adapt their viticultural practices to the natural environment.
In 2015, the winery took an even more important step when they started to implement entirely organic farming principles in their vineyards. In Añina and Carrascal, they planted a new 40-hectare / 98-acre parcel for organic production and they are now aiming to make a certified organic range of sherries.
Traditional Winemaking in Jerez
The secret to the success of Williams & Humbert sherries around the world is a combination of traditional sherry-making techniques, blending, and aging. They use traditional solera systems, whereby towers of casks, traditionally stacked three or four rows high, are continually filled with new wine so that older barrels are steadily topped up and a consistent style is achieved. The winery produces styles ranging from young, fresh Fino to aged Oloroso in a traditional oxidized style. They are also masters at blending sweeter Pedro Ximénez grapes with dry Palomino to make medium and cream styles of sherry.
Most impressively, Williams & Humbert have one of the most extensive ranges of old sherries, classified as Rare and Very Rare. Some of these wines have 15 and 20 years of aging, but the oldest are more than 30 years old.
A New Generation Takes Charge of Vinos de Jerez
Williams & Humbert sherries have always been made under the watchful eye of family owners. The winery was originally owned by the Williams and Humbert brothers-in-law but was eventually bought by the Medina family. Paola Medina Sheldon is part of the second generation of the Medina family working in the winery. She started working in the bodega in various roles in 2001, before taking over as head winemaker in 2010, she studied winemaking at the University of Cadiz, gained a Master’s Degree in Viticulture and Winemaking in Madrid, then worked throughout various regions in Spain to develop a broader knowledge to bring back to her family estate. Her aim is to combine the traditions and experience of her winery’s 145-plus-year history with innovation to ensure her sherries and brandies continue to be relevant (and bring delight) for generations to come.
