Collection: Bodegas Urium

The Bodega: One of the youngest and smallest in the region, located right in the centre of Jerez de la Frontera, in the 'Calle Muros', just outside the old city walls that encircle the historic centre. Urium is located in the highest part of Jerez, ideal for allowing the wind to play its crucial role in determining the necessary microclimate required by the 'flor', the yeast layer that turns wine into Fino. The bodega comprises three parts. The two oldest are from the eighteenth century when only oxidative wines were made. The third part, located much higher up, was set up at the end of the nineteenth century, after organic sherries (aged under flor) made their appearance.

A bit of history: the bodega is the property of Alonso Ruiz and his daughter Rocío. Father Alonso, who comes from Huelva, dreamt of having a sherry bodega from his youth. His father (Rocío's grandfather) was an agricultural worker who visited Jerez regularly. He was obsessed with Albariza soils and the wines made from them (who wouldn't be?). When he returned wounded from WWII, he started his own small tabasco where he made and sold wine. Young Alonso took care of the deliveries, seated on a colourfully decorated bicycle, an image that became iconic in the region. In 2007, after looking for 40 years, Alonso at long last found an old bodega in Jerez that was worth renovating. And that is what he did by keeping only the best wines. This allowed him, for example, to market the Gran Señor de Urium, a Palo Cortado more than 100 years old which is considered one of Jerez' best wines and is sold for - hold on tight - a mere 20,000 euros a bottle!

Rocío studied economics, got an MBA and worked for multinationals in Madrid. When her father bought the bodega, she dropped everything and started to study oenology with a specialisation in 'winemaking in warm areas'. In 2009 they started up Bodegas Urium ... the life's work of two sherry geeks ...

Over the next few years, the VORS range followed (wines about 40 years old) and then a little later the Clasico range with wines between 10 and 25 years old. We are introducing both VORS and Clasico, together with an unusual Fino, the Fino Mons en Rama. They are each and every one beautiful wines at a modest price, all things considered, given the quality and age of what the bottles contain.