Jerez de la Frontera Shopping

Sherry Vinegar comes in two age categories. These vinegars are made using the criaderas or soleras method. This is the traditional method used to age fine wines and sherry . The first category of sherry vinegar is aged for at least six months in oak casks. The second category is called Reserva (reserve), which means that it has been aged in oak casks for at least two years.

Because these vinegars are aged in oak wood, they develop unique characteristics (flavour, colour and taste), which canot be duplicated by other common mixed vinegars.Vinegar from Jerez is made exclusively from wine.

Following the filtration and clarification, it is bottled for sale. Its colour is dark, concentrated and robust like mahogany, and there are hints of wood in its smell.

What to buy: It is perfect for special vinaigrettes, dressings and marinades and a a classic ingredient in gazpacho.

Vinagres de Yema,l the 50-year-old stuff – in beautiful glass bottles. this is not cheap, but if you taste a drop, the flavour evolves in your mouth for hours afterwards. Sherry vinegars are run through a solera system, the same way as the wines and the brandies and this irons out annual variations, but is also used to increase quality.

What to pay: from about 4 euros a bottle to about 80 euros depending on quality and acidity.

Shops that specialise in local handicrafts include La Esparteria, Calle Ramon de Cala 17 for wickerwork; Ceramica Amaya, Avda Carrero Blanco 16 for pottery and Ferros, Calle La Torre 4 for lanterns. There is also a street market on Sundays.

What to buy: Duarte, Larga 15. The town's most famous saddle shop selling beautiful wrought leather which is exported all over the world and well known for tourists who can choose from all kinds of other smaller but beautifully worked leather items.