El Maestro Sierra Fino Viejo ‘Bota de Ana’

Since its inception, the history of El Maestro Sierra is one of self-improvement, non-conformity, and a firm desire to fight for a clear goal that has challenged the established norms of the local wine business in Jerez. El Maestro Sierra was founded in 1830 by master cooper José Antonio Sierra, who ran a prosperous barrel-building business and built a small winery with the aim of making the best sherries possible. As the sherry business was, and remains to this day, dominated by aristocratic families, the idea of a humble cooper joining their ranks was met with open disdain. After many hardships he was able to establish and grow his business, becoming one of the most respected almacenistas (stock-holders) of high-quality Sherry. 

El Maestro Sierra is still run by his descendants, located in a privileged part of Jerez on top of the hill, exposed to the cool Poniente winds which nourish the elegant wines. El Maestro Sierra was passed down through the family and protected by the legendary Doña Pilar Pla Pechovierto from 1976 until her passing in 2020. She was a brave and resolute woman who inherited the business after the early death of her husband. Pilar managed to drive the business forward despite the prevailing machismo of the time. El Maestro Sierra became the first and is still one of the few bodegas run entirely by women. The bodega is run by Pilar’s daughter and current owner, Dr. Maria del Carmen Borrego Pla, and the Sherry has been made since 2011 by Capataza Ana Cabestrero, who draws inspiration from the rich tradition of innovative women at the estate to craft some of the most important wines of the Jerez region.

As a reminder of the bodega’s struggles, the labels depict a hunting scene with a hare being chased by the nobles, alluding to José Antonio Sierra’s struggles founding the artisanal house in a social climate dominated by the aristocrats of the time. 

This small batch Fino Viejo is hand selected by Capataza Ana Cabestrero from a 10 barrel solera consisting of exceptional, old Finos aging in barrels of different capacities from 600 to 633 liters, each handmade by the founder of EMS in 1830. The Finos in the solera have been aging biologically between 15 to 20 years under a veil of flor. The barrels in the Fino Viejo solera are named after the women of EMS, referring to a metaphor that Maria del Carmen makes with women’s wombs and aging Sherry. She posits that just as each mother shapes our personality, the barrel does the same with wine. Some of the barrels are named for Ana and her sister, Maria del Carmen, Doña Pilar, Lola, Pepa, and others. 

Being fierce protectors of tradition, El Maestro Sierra is also one of the last bodegas still working entirely by hand, without the aid of electric pumps to move the wine, which are now commonplace. Instead, Ana and her team of four “run the scales” manually with the traditional implements of a canoa, jarra, sifón, and rocíador. Manually moving the wine introduces just the right amount of aeration of the wines, which in turn adds to the complexity of the finished wines. 

Capataza Ana Cabestrero conducts regular tastings of the barrels and when she finds one that speaks to her, she draws the saca at just the right moment. The Fino Viejo is hand bottled and offered once a year for sale in small quantities to her best customers. 

EMS Fino Viejo Bota de Ana is incredibly rich, expressive, and aromatic. Complexly perfumed on the nose with intense savory notes of yeast, lemon peel and hints of almonds. It is dry on the palate, with apple and citrus and a long, rich, salty finish.