Bodegas Luis Pérez "Caberrubia Fino Saca IV" Carrascal, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry, Spain NV
Bodegas Luis Pérez, founded by enology professor Luis Pérez and his son Willy, is revolutionizing Jerez winemaking through their pioneering work across three distinctive pagos. They're brilliantly reviving indigenous varieties like Tintilla de Rota while resurrecting pre-industrial, unfortified sherry styles that showcase terroir over cellar manipulation.
"Lemony, salty, nutty, savory, floral, and dry. A wine to sip and savor with savory and salty snacks, or throw it into a Sherry-based cocktail to spice it up!"
The Renaissance of Jerez: How Bodegas Luis Pérez is Redefining Spanish Winemaking
Bodegas Luis Pérez represents nothing short of a viticultural revolution in the heart of Spain's sherry country. Founded by Luis Pérez, a distinguished enology professor at the University of Cádiz and former winemaker at the prestigious Domecq, along with his visionary son Willy, this family enterprise has systematically challenged every preconception about what wines from the Jerez region can achieve.
Their journey began in Pago del Corchuelo with the acquisition of Hacienda Vistahermosa, a unique geological anomaly that was once an island in an ancient sea. This distinctive terroir—ranging from rocky clay-limestone to deep albariza soils—provided the perfect canvas for their initial experiment: proving that Andalucia could produce sophisticated, modern wines beyond traditional sherry. The success of their initial plantings of international varieties in 2002 encouraged them to resurrect the overlooked indigenous Tintilla de Rota (known elsewhere as Graciano) in 2009.
This was only the beginning. The Pérez duo expanded to Pago de Balbaína, where the Atlantic-influenced climate and unique Tosca Cerrada albariza soils create the ideal environment for developing more ethereal, aromatic expressions of Tintilla. Their most ambitious acquisition came with El Corregidor in Pago de Carrascal, a historic vineyard recognized for excellence since 1414, complete with century-old infrastructure and 50-year-old Palomino Fino vines.
What truly distinguishes their approach is the resurrection of pre-industrial sherry production methods. Rather than relegating terroir to secondary importance through cellar manipulation, they conduct multiple harvest passes, creating a spectrum of expressions where the natural ripeness of the grapes and vineyard character dictate the final wine style. Their meticulous approach includes night harvests for fresher styles and traditional sun-drying for more concentrated expressions.
Through this comprehensive reimagining of Jerez winemaking across three distinctive pagos, Luis and Willy Pérez aren't merely producing exceptional wines—they're systematically restoring the region's once-illustrious reputation and demonstrating its untapped potential for site-specific, vintage-reflective wines that honor both innovation and tradition.