Gonzalez Byass

Gonzalez Byass is one of Spain's most well-known sherry bodegas. Tracing the origins back to 1835 when it was founded by Manuel Maria Gonzalez Angel. Subsequently joined by his English agent, Robert Blake Byass, hence Gonzalez Byass.

The sherry triangle is Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. It has a unique microclimate influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and Guadalquivir and Guadalete rivers.

Production is mainly using the palomino grape variety, and the vines grow in the white Albariza soil. The soils high chalk content is excellent for retaining moisture. 

These soil conditions, combined with over 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, fresh, humid breezes from the west (poniente) and warm, dry breezes from the east (levante) have formed the perfect marriage with the palomino variety to produce an array of sherry styles.

Ageing of the sherries follow the traditional Solera system. Where blending of the wines are in 600 litre American oak casks. Many styles have distinctive characters depending on whether ageing has been under the influence of the flor (a layer of natural yeast) or as an oloroso (in contact with oxygen).