History
19th century: the beginning
The young entrepreneur Manuel María González started his career in the world of a wine as a trader, working with Juan Bautista Dubosc and Francisco Gutiérrez de Agüera. However, his company grew successfully so quickly that he soon deemed it necessary to become involved in production too. He did so with the help of his maternal uncle, José Ángel, nicknamed ‘Tio Pepe’, who taught him everything he knew. He named the very first solera “Tío Pepe’s Solera” in his honour. This was the origin of the world’s most famous Fino, which in 1854, just 20 years later, became one of the leading players in and first exporter of Sherry, a privileged position that it would keep for a long time.
The first bottles of Tío Pepe were sent to the United Kingdom on the advice of Robert Blake Byass, the company’s agent in England, to whom Manuel María sent a letter with the recommendation of selling an “exceptionally pale” wine. The successful uptake of the wine led the two businessmen to form a partnership to promote exports, and the Gonzalez Byass name was born.
This period saw the construction of La Constancia winery, the first winery in Jerez, which has been followed by the acquisition of others, both in Spain and internationally. Today, the 5th generation of still run it as a family business and spread their passion for wine to more than 100 countries all over the world.
20th century: diversification
Although the company’s first brandy dates back to 1844 and was exported from the very beginning, the golden age of this “burnt wine” would come some time later. In 1927, the brandy ageing area was expanded with the building of the San Pedro Nolasco winery and six other wineries in the same part of Jerez. However, it was in 1951 that González Byass’s most prestigious brandy was launched: Lepanto.
Product diversification didn’t stop with brandy. González Byass branched out first into Cognac, purchasing a distillery in France, and then into Anisette, purchasing the Chinchón producer in 1969, the first anisette and liqueur distillery in Spain and the only one to hold a protected geographical indication, signalling the start of our move into the world of spirits.
The permanent search for new products and sustainability led to the creation of the first private wine research centre in Spain in 1955, CIDIMA (Quality, Investigation, Development, Innovation, and Environment), which in the space of a few years would reveal the main factors in determining quality and is the birthplace of numerous product innovations as well as environmental protection measures. Subsequently, Gonzalez Byass took their first steps into other wine regions with Beronia in La Rioja, now one of their most awarded wineries, and in Catalonia, with purchase of artisan cava producer Vilarnau in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in Penedés.
21st century: internationalisation
At González Byass we have stayed true to our roots whilst also moving forward to offer the best wines and spirits all over the world. This commitment has seen us grow to 14 wineries in Spain, Chile, and Mexico, as well as producing a range of prominent spirits.
The 21st century began with the acquisition of Finca Moncloa, where the old traditions of making quality red wines in the province of Cadiz are kept alive alongside the recovery of the forgotten indigenous variety, Tintilla de rota, and then continued with the acquisition of the Croft, Viñas del Vero, and Pazos de Lusco wineries.
Following the innovative spirit of the founder of González Byass, we built the Finca Constancia wineries in the heart of the province of Toledo.
In recent years we have purchased Veramonte in Chile, Pedro Domecq in Mexico, and our latest acquisition, Dominio Fournier, in the heart of the Ribera del Duero. Over this period we have increased the spirits family through the creation of our premium gin ranges, The London Nº 1 and MOM, and Nomad, our whisky made and aged in Scotland and finished in Jerez.
Mission
Wines and spirits from Spain and beyond
From our roots in Jerez, we have expanded into making wines and spirits across Spain, and more recently in Chile and Mexico.
We believe in people
As a global company with over 900 employees in Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Mexico, and Chile, we blend enthusiasm, hard work, and belief so that we can all feel part of the family. We firmly believe in diversity and individual development and are committed to supporting and working collaboratively with our customers and distributors.
5+5 Caring for the Planet
The 5+5 initiative represents the five generations of the González family that have led the company into the 21st century and the next five generations that will continue this mission based on the work that has already been carried out. It emphasizes González Byass´s level of commitment to nature by promoting the use of sustainable practices across all areas of the company, from the vineyard to the winery, through to supply, product design and distribution to our customers worldwide.
Awards
It's always nice to have excellence and hard work recognised, and we have been lucky to receive numerous awards for our efforts in winemaking, tourism and sustainability. Recent accolades include a place in the Top 10 of the World’s Best Vineyards 2021 and Best Spanish Winery of the Decade by AEPEV