The variety of grape used to obtain must or raw material for making Manzanilla is Palomino Fino.

Following the grape harvesting, which usually occurs during the first fortnight of September, must is obtained from the first pressing. Once fermented – that is, once the sugar has been transformed into alcohol – we get young wines. The fermentation process is carried out in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature.

Once the wine has been selected (Mosto de Yema) which must be clear on the nose, pale and light, it is fortified up to 15º and, with the name of Sobretabla, undergoes the traditional Sistema de Criaderas y Solera ageing System.

This process consists mainly of storage in botas (typical Jerez casks) of American oak with a capacity of 516 litres known as Criaderas, which contain wine of similar characteristics and different ages.

Once the young wines have been fermented, a film appears on the surface of the wine in the cask. This is due to the development of a layer of yeasts called "Flor""; it is this “Flor” that gives the wine its peculiar characteristics that are unique in the world. These yeasts interact permanently with the wine, consuming the alcohol and other nutrients and yielding very characteristic aromas and flavours. This type of ageing is known as “biological ageing” or ageing “bajo velo en flor”, which would read in English as "under a veil of flor".

These Manzanilla casks are not filled to the brim in order to facilitate the development of this yeast, which, in addition to transforming the wine, seals it from the air, thus, preventing oxidation.

The botas are lined up in “andanas” or rows of 3 or 4 heights and each one conforms to an “escala” or scale. The escala that contains the oldest wine is situated at ground level and is known as Solera.

The process by which wine is extracted in order to be bottled is known as “saca”. The empty casks are then repleted with wine from the scale of casks on top of them, called first Criadera, which contain a younger wine that, in turn, is replaced with wine from the second Criadera and so on until reaching the Sobretabla, which is replaced with young wine.
Only a small quantity of wine from each Solera is removed in each “saca”. No more than 35% of the Solera’s total capacity is removed each year for sale and consumption.

How does the “Sistema de Criaderas y Solera” work?
See presentation

All of the work involved in the decanting is done by hand and with extreme care during the years required to turn these wines into an elegant, delicate and unique wine: Manzanilla La Guita. By the time it is marketed, La Guita has been aged on average for 8 years.

Many years ago, when modern winemaking methods had not yet been implemented in the Marco de Jerez, it was said that the Manzanilla did “not travel well”. Nowadays, this is absolutely untrue. Currently, thanks to state-of-the-art facilities, Manzanilla La Guita undergoes cold stabilisation and is filtered twice. Once using an earth filter and a second time using an amicrobic plate like those used in clinical laboratories that filter at 4 microns.

WHITE WINES V.T. CÁDIZ
Are made using select Palomino Fino grapes from the Pago de Miraflores vineyards and using the traditional white winemaking method. To this end, we are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and implement the most advanced winemaking systems to get the most out of this varietal wine. Grape harvesting is done at the end of August in order to obtain fresher wines.

Castillo de Miraflores
To get the maximum aromas and flavours from the grape, it undergoes cold pellicular maceration at 4º C for approximately 12 hours, followed by static racking for 24 hours. It is then fermented with yeasts selected from the winery at a controlled temperature between 16º and 18º C for about 15 days. The wine is kept in stainless steel deposits and is bottled upon demand.

Pago de Miraflores
Fermented in French Vosgues casks.
It is the first 100% Palomino white wine in the history of the Marco de Jerez fermented in casks.
After pellicular maceration and racking, fermentation is carried out in French Vosgues casks for about 15 days. Once fermentation is complete, the wine remains on its lees for 4 months during which time a daily “batonnage” or a lee stirring is carried out. After this, it is bottled and stored in the wine cellar for an additional 6 months before being marketed.