A taste of Jerez

C/ Echegaray lies, hidden, in the backstreets close to Sol. This quiet and almost desolate street in the district of Huertas is the quiet, humble neighbour to the popular and ever-bustling C/ Principe. The innocent lost tourist may stumble into the street by mistake, but would backtrack thinking they had entered the neighbourhood of the dead and dodgy. What is not apparent to the naive glances of lost tourists is that this sleepy central calle houses - in my opinion - one of the best bars in Madrid: La Venencia, a bar dedicated entirely to sherry. If you dislike this Andalucian fortified wine then I advise you to stop reading right now, but lovers of Jerez pay close attention. La Venencia specialises showcasing different types of sherry, also serving tapas at low prices, specially selected to compliments the delicate notes of this aperitif.



The bar looks unchanged by time, a time capsule preserved from 50 years back. Antique posters, yellowed by decades of cigarette smoke, line the bar and advertise their mascot drink. The walls flake in decaying charm and the bar itself is laden with barrels and old dusty glass bottles. To accompany the old, quaint character of the place - photos are explicitly forbidden! Many times I have been berated for taking photos; their philosophy to escape the tourist trap. Inconvenient when one wants to preserve memories of laughter and drink, it does add to the atmosphere of the place. Tips are also verboten, and are greeted with a frown and the money forcefully returned back to you. In Spain tips are not generally welcome and are even considered insulting in some places. After 3 years of living here I still haven't grasped the etiquette of the tipping procedure.



La Venencia serves 5 types of sherry: Manzanilla, Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado and Palo Cortado. These can be bought by the glass, the bottle and half bottle. This gives you the perfect opportunity to try out the full spectrum of sherry available. Manzanilla and Fino are dry sherries, coloured a light gold and probably the best for the starting novice or if you are partial very dry white wine. The stronger brands of sherries are the Oloroso and Amontillado which approach a brandy in strength and viscosity. Palo Cortado is an acquired taste - it is very strong and aromatic and undoubtedly my personal favourite of all the sherries offered in La Venencia.

The range of tapas include the complimentary campo real olives - green, juicy gems which burst with sweetness and savoury flavour. Other tapas can be brought for as little as 1euro for small tapa to 5euros for a big racion, which includes cheeses, cecina - a cured beef ham, mojama - a cured tuna ham, salchichon, chorizo and others. This place not only maintains an authentic, non-touristic philosophy, but also retains local and good prices. Highly recommended if you are looking for something authentic and cheap.