Where to drink in Jerez, the birthplace of Spanish sherry

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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
A pretty place with a jumble of Moorish-style courtyards, gothic churches and grand baroque buildings, the small Andalucian city of Jerez is largely untouched by gentrification and tourism — despite being only an hour from Seville. Yet it has a long-held reputation as the country's sherry capital: 'jerez' means 'sherry' in Spanish and the fortified wine has been made here for over 3,000 years.
Once considered old fashioned, sherry has stepped back into the spotlight in recent years, popping up in cocktails and spritzes in bars globally, and Jerez is the ideal place to rediscover it. Locals work hard to preserve their traditions — and have a good time, too — whether it's at flamenco clubs, horse shows or lively sherry bars called tabancos. And with new direct flights from the UK launching this summer, the city is more accessible than ever.
Start your sherry education with Jerez native Aurora Muñoz, who runs Soleras y Criaderas. Her evening tours take travellers through the winding streets of the historic centre, stopping in different tabancos. As guests sample sherry and tapas, Aurora tells the story of the fortified wine, including how its production boomed in the 16th century after Sir Francis Drake stole 3,000 casks from neighbouring Cadiz and took them to England. The history of the tabancos themselves — originally drinking spots reserved for workers in the sherry-producing bodegas — is also explored.
Alongside traditional bars, Aurora stops at places putting a modern spin on the sherry drinking experience, such as bottle-shop-meets-deli Mantequeria El Espartero.
All ages gather at this traditional tabanco, where the walls are covered in bullfighting paraphernalia. Grandparents perch on high stools waiting for plates of Iberico ham to be passed back to them, toddlers are put on the bar and young couples grab glasses of fino — the driest sherry — to swig standing in the street. While normally tabancos serve simple cold snacks alongside the sherry, people come here for the full kitchen and excellent tapas — don't miss the grilled octopus with garlicky potatoes.C. Caballeros, 12, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera
At Jerez's oldest tabanco — 100 this year — the sherry comes with a side of the city's other most famous export, flamenco. Three times a day (around 2pm, 7.30pm and 9.30pm), a silence falls upon this normally riotous bar, one soon filled with the distinct sounds of this Andalucian art form — strumming guitars, energetic stomping and emotive singing. Book one of the limited tables for a front-row seat or join the standing crowd at the back — there's a well-positioned mirror to enable those with an obstructed view to see.
Best known for its famous Tio Pepe fino, the González Byass winery complex also houses this standout restaurant. Accessed via a private cobbled street enclosed by a canopy of vines, this minimalist ground-floor spot sits in an old wine cellar that opens up to a bright courtyard overlooking Jerez cathedral. Start with a refreshing fino spritz, made with dry sherry, sparkling water and elderflower. The dishes that follow are sherry-themed, such as sea bass with sherry vinegar, and melon infused with Tio Pepe, lime and honey. tiopepe.com
This small-scale independent sherry producer offers informative tours with a tasting. After seeing the sherry-making process and cellars up close, the bodega's guide pulls up chairs in front of the barrels and serves up six key sherries. Taste from the driest (fino) to the sweetest (Pedro Ximénez), accompanied by an explanation of the processes that transform white grapes into these distinct flavours. The visit concludes with a tour of the owner's private art collection, which includes works by Goya, Velázquez and El Greco.
Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).