Discovering the Coastal Soul of Sherry: Introducing Bodegas del Río

There are certain wineries that quietly work behind the scenes for decades, supplying wines to some of the region’s most respected names, refining their craft away from the spotlight. Then, every so often, they decide it is finally time to bottle wines under their own name - and wine lovers pay attention.

This year, we are very excited to begin working with Bodegas del Río, a small family-run bodega in Sanlúcar de Barrameda whose wines capture everything we love about authentic, terroir-driven Sherry: salinity, freshness, texture, tradition, and a profound sense of place.

For lovers of Manzanilla and traditional Andalusian wines, this is a producer worth knowing.

Bodegas del Río - A Family Bodega on the Banks of the Guadalquivir

Founded in the 1990s by Don Ángel del Río Álvarez, Bodegas del Río began life as an almacenista - a producer supplying wines to larger Sherry houses and independent bottlers throughout the Marco de Jerez.

Today, the winery is run by Luis del Río and his brother, continuing the family’s work from one of the most fascinating locations in the region. In fact, Bodegas del Río is believed to be the closest winery in the Marco de Jerez to the Guadalquivir River, separated from the water by just a narrow strip of sandy shoreline.

That location matters.

The Atlantic influence, coastal humidity, and maritime air create ideal conditions for the development of flor - the veil of yeast responsible for the delicate biological ageing that defines Manzanilla. These conditions help produce wines of remarkable freshness, elegance, and saline character.

The family also owns vineyards in Pago Miraflores Baja, one of Sanlúcar’s most celebrated vineyard areas and widely regarded as a “Grand Cru” site for Manzanilla production. Their vineyard, Viña Casilla Verde, sits on classic albariza soils - chalk-rich white soils famed for their ability to retain water and reflect sunlight during Andalusia’s hot summers.

From Bulk Wines to Boutique Bottlings

For many years, the Del Río family focused primarily on supplying wines in bulk to prestigious Sherry houses and marquistas (independent bottlers). Their reputation within the region was quietly growing, but very little wine was bottled under their own label.

That changed in 2022 with the launch of the Solera Playa project.

This marked an exciting new chapter for the bodega: carefully selected Manzanillas bottled en rama - with minimal filtration - designed to express the wines as authentically and transparently as possible.

Rather than producing heavily processed, standardised wines, the aim of Solera Playa is to showcase the individuality of the solera itself, the influence of the coastal ageing environment, and the character of the barrels from which the wines are selected.

Production remains extremely limited, with annual bottlings expected to total only around 4,000–6,000 bottles.

The Wines: Salinity, Precision & Coastal Character

One of the things that immediately impressed us about Bodegas del Río is the clarity and identity of the wines. These are not anonymous Sherries. They are wines that speak clearly of Sanlúcar, the sea, flor, and albariza.

Manzanilla Solera Playa Azul

Their Solera Playa Azul is a beautifully vibrant Manzanilla aged biologically under flor for around four years before additional static ageing.

Produced in a former fisherman’s net storage house in Bonanza, just metres from the Atlantic, the wine has an unmistakably maritime personality: sea breeze, chamomile, almonds, citrus peel, fresh dough, and an intensely saline finish.

Bottled en rama, it retains texture, freshness, and authenticity in a way that many larger commercial bottlings simply cannot.

Manzanilla Solera Playa Marea Baja & Oro

For those who enjoy more evolved Manzanillas, Marea Baja and Oro take things further.

These wines undergo extended biological ageing - in some cases over eight to nine years under flor - resulting in greater complexity, layered nutty notes, savoury depth, and remarkable persistence, while still preserving the hallmark freshness and salinity that define great Manzanilla.

These are deeply gastronomic wines: brilliant with oysters, anchovies, grilled seafood, Iberian ham, aged cheeses, and umami-driven dishes.

Oloroso “El Cuartito”

The oxidative side of the cellar is equally fascinating.

“El Cuartito” Oloroso spends more than 20 years ageing oxidatively in a traditional criaderas y soleras system, developing extraordinary concentration and complexity. Walnut, toasted almond, spice, noble wood, and a subtle saline edge combine into a wine that feels both powerful and refined.

This is contemplative Sherry - a wine for slow drinking and serious food pairing.

Casilla Verde: A Different Expression of Palomino

Alongside the fortified wines, we were also very excited by Palomino Fino Casilla Verde, a still “Blanco de Albariza” wine made from 100% Palomino Fino.

Fermented in barrique and aged on fine lees for around seven months in barrels previously used for Manzanilla, it offers a completely different perspective on Palomino.

Fresh, textured, saline, and mineral, it demonstrates just how exciting the terroirs of Sanlúcar can be outside traditional fortified wine styles. Citrus peel, Mediterranean herbs, subtle iodine notes, and chalky texture all combine into a wine that feels modern while remaining deeply connected to place.

For anyone interested in the growing movement of terroir-focused white wines from the Sherry region, this is an excellent example.

Why We Love Working With Small Producers Like This

As a small independent wine business, we are always searching for wines that genuinely excite us - wines with identity, authenticity, and a story worth sharing.

Being relatively new to the world of Sherry, I (Ivan) first discovered Bodegas del Río after spotting a bottle of Manzanilla in El Paladar, a deli and wine shop here in Palma de Mallorca. I bought a bottle out of curiosity and was immediately impressed by the quality and character of the wine.

Later, the winery appeared again in a Sherry Club selection from Contubernio, and once again the wines stood out. That led us to contact the bodega directly, request samples, and eventually place our first order this year.

What we love most about these wines is that they feel honest. They are not trying to imitate modern trends or appeal to mass-market expectations. Instead, they express Sanlúcar in a pure and transparent way: Atlantic freshness, albariza soils, biological ageing, and time.

These are wines made with patience and conviction.

A Producer to Watch

Although the name Bodegas del Río may still be unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, we genuinely believe they are one of the most exciting emerging names in artisanal Sherry today.

With tiny production, exceptional vineyard sources, traditional ageing methods, and a clear commitment to quality, they represent the kind of producer we are proud to support and share.

For lovers of Manzanilla, coastal wines, terroir-driven Palomino, and authentic small-scale producers, this is a winery to discover now.

We currently stock the following from Bodegas del Río:

• Manzanilla Solera Playa Azul

• Manzanilla Solera Play Marea Baja

• Manzanilla Solera Playa Oro

• Oloroso El Cuartito

• Casilla Verde

If you are interested in ordering any of them, please email us at wineindustrymallorca@gmail.com

Photos from their Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/bodegasdelrio_br