The history of Tío Pepe is also the history of a city, of a country, of a way of understanding life.
A story with a beginning but without an end, which continues to be written every day in a multitude of meeting points here and around the world.
It all began with Manuel María González Ángel, a young entrepreneur of only 23 years of age who in 1835 decided to try his luck in the booming wine business.
That venture would not only turn out to be the best idea of his life, it would also mark the beginning of one of Spain's most important business legacies.
Upon entering a business that was unknown to him at the time, he sought advice from José María Ángel y Vargas or, as he affectionately called him, "my uncle Pepe".
It was he who taught him all the secrets of the art of winemaking in Jerez. In gratitude, his nephew gave him a part of the bodega and a reference to the Solera Fundacional butts with the name "Solera del Tío Pepe".
The vision became a reality. The love of sherry wine spreads all over the world. The success of exports led to a partnership with Robert Blake Byass, an English wine merchant and commercial agent of Manuel Marías in Great Britain, who in 1844 asked him in a letter for some butts of "that extremely pale wine that you recommend to me so highly".
Those first butts of Tío Pepe were very well received in the United Kingdom, with an exponential growth that gradually spread to other European countries and the American continent.
Tio Pepe
A pioneer from the outset, Manuel María González Ángel continued to cultivate his entrepreneurial spirit and, in 1886, Tío Pepe became one of the first registered trademarks in Spain and his winery the first to have electricity, two years before the city of Jerez adopted it.
It was during the centenary celebrations that Luis Pérez Solero, the bodega's head of advertising, humanized the bottle with his now unmistakable wide-brimmed hat, Andalusian jacket and guitar.
This is how one of the most recognizable icons in the history of Spanish advertising was born.
Today, one of the most prestigious and popular Spanish companies that exports its products to 115 countries, the 5th generation of Manuel María González Ángel's descendants continues to spread his passion for wine all over the world, faithful to the same values of respect, sustainability and authenticity that marked its beginnings more than 180 years ago.
Tio Pepe Vino Fino
Tio Pepe is a person, an icon and above all a wine. A 100% wine made from Palomino Fino grapes, aged organically and aged for at least 4 years in American oak barrels following the traditional system of criaderas and solera.
The Harvest
The grape harvest in the "Marco de Jerez", as in most of the major wine-producing areas, plays a transcendental role in the wine sector.
Autumn and winter are generally mild. In spring, there are periods of high temperatures and strong levante wind coinciding with flowering, while the summer is not excessively hot, but does have numerous dewy days. This fact results in a high production, despite the fact that rainfall in the area tends to be scarce throughout the vegetative cycle.
Harvesting begins at the beginning of August and, due to the high temperatures in the hottest month of the year, the grapes must be transported quickly to the vats to prevent oxidation of the must.
It is worth mentioning that the harvest of the grape varieties destined for the production of sweet wines (Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel) is particularly characteristic, as the grapes are previously subjected to the 'soleo' process, being placed in the open air to achieve their raisining, the duration of which depends on the weather conditions and can last for more than a week.
Winemaking
As soon as the Palomino grapes arrive at the winery, they are gently pressed.
The must obtained from this first pressing is called "mosto yema" and is considered the most elegant and delicate. After fermentation, classification and fortification at 15.5% the wine enters the Tio Pepe solera where it will spend more than four years in American oak casks following the traditional "solera" system.
During this process, the wine undergoes biological ageing under the layer of yeast known as "velo flor", which gives Tio Pepe its unique colour, aroma and character.
Food pairing
Served very chilled, either in the traditional sherry wine glass or in a tall glass, Tío Pepe goes perfectly with apéritifs, all kinds of tapas, especially olives, nuts and Iberian ham. An ideal accompaniment to seafood and fish. Due to its low acetic acid content, it combines exceptionally well with dishes with high acidity (salads with vinaigrette, marinades, etc.). It is always recommended to keep chilled.