Marchena and Jerez are united in the cultures of flamenco and the wine

FOR Expoflamenco It has been a real satisfaction to collaborate with the event The flavour of Marchena Flamenco which was celebrated last Saturday, November 30th in the historic town of Seville. A day, moreover, marked by popular sayings to indicate that 'On Saint Andrew's Day, the must is new wine..

Comrade José María Castaño went there to conduct a session of Flamenco Culture & Sherry, one of the teaching options in our portfolio. It involves proposing a specific study topic, using audiovisual elements, which find their harmony in certain sherries selected for the occasion.

More than a hundred participants formed the procession of a unforgettable heritage route through the historic and stately Marchena. The tour went around the Plaza de los Melchores, the Arco De la Rosa, the Plaza Ducal, the Sala Carrera, the Plaza Cardenal Spínola (San Juan) and the Patio Casa Fábrica, with the invaluable descriptions of the local tourist guide María Jesús Álvarez.

Right in the Carrera Room, halfway through the itinerary, the Flamenco & Sherry Culture session was held, dedicated in this case to Melchor de Marchena. We were able to see some videos of the remembered guitarist accompanying Antonio Mairena and Manolo Caracol, although the welcome was provided by La Paquera de Jerez with Parrilla. The wines that accompanied us were the Inocente fine and the amontillado Tio Diego from Bodegas Valdespino, one of the oldest wineries in the area, which is now part of Grupo Estévez de Jerez. Beforehand, other wines were tasted, such as the Vermouth Valdespino, the Manzanilla Deliciosa or the Amontillado Medium Contrabandista from the same winery. We appreciate the knowledge and listening of our friends from Jerez.

We must necessarily thank the alma mater of the cultural initiative, the friend Victor Moran, a complete lover of flamenco and the Jerez wines of which he is an Approved Trainer. He has been congratulated by the President of the Regulatory Council of Jerez – Xerez – Sherry Wines for the project. Also to the City Council of Marchena for allowing and supporting this happy idea, in the person of Teresa Jimenez, Delegate for Tourism of the host city council. And to all the people who participated and made this twinning possible as sound technicians and caterers.

Here we leave you some of the videos from the TVE archives that were used for our study. We can assure you that this soleá by the maestro Antonio Mairena with Melchor de Marchena with an amontillado in hand is multiplying the various senses: