John Harvey & Sons
Encyclopedia
John Harvey & Sons was a wine
merchant
, started by John Harvey in Bristol
, England
in 1796, and specializing in importing Spanish and Portuguese wines. During the 1860s and 1880s, in the company's cellars John Harvey II (son of John Harvey) and his brother Edward Harvey developed the world’s first cream sherry
now known as Harvey's Bristol Cream. The blend starts with wines from fifty different soleras, including three sherry types: Fino
, Amontillado
, and Oloroso
. Finally some Pedro Ximénez
wine is added for sweetness, and for the richness and creaminess that is the hallmark of the style. The Harvey's Bristol Cream brand is now owned and produced by the American company Beam Inc.
.
The Bristol Cream is the only sherry that is not only commonly served chilled, but on the rocks—the ice cuts the viscosity. A slice of lemon or lime is often added, especially in warmer weather; the acidity of citrus cuts back the sweetness. Since its inception it became the most famous and best selling sherry in the world. In the United States of America it outsells its competitor by nearly two to one. Up to 1960 they purchased wines in Jerez and shipped them to Bristol, England for aging and blending. The business grew from strength to strength and over the years they began buying their own vineyards in Jerez de la Frontera
, Spain
, so they could protect the quality of their source material. They own the Estate Vineyards in Jerez Superior, and have exclusive use of the Palomino
fruit.
sherry that has been imported into and bottled in Bristol, England since 1796 by John Harvey & Sons of Bristol. Bristol cream is an ingredient
in lobster bisque.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, started by John Harvey in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1796, and specializing in importing Spanish and Portuguese wines. During the 1860s and 1880s, in the company's cellars John Harvey II (son of John Harvey) and his brother Edward Harvey developed the world’s first cream sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
now known as Harvey's Bristol Cream. The blend starts with wines from fifty different soleras, including three sherry types: Fino
Fino
Fino is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. They are drunk comparatively young, and unlike the sweeter varieties should be drunk soon after the bottle is opened as exposure to air can cause them to lose their flavour within hours.-Flor:The defining component of Fino...
, Amontillado
Amontillado
Amontillado is a variety of sherry, characterized by being darker than fino but lighter than oloroso. It is named for the Montilla region of Spain, where the style originated in the 18th century, although the name 'amontillado' is sometimes used commercially as a simple measure of colour to label...
, and Oloroso
Oloroso
Oloroso is a variety of sherry produced by oxidative aging. It is normally darker than amontillado and has a higher glycerine content, which makes it smoother and less dry. Oloroso is usually dark and nutty....
. Finally some Pedro Ximénez
Pedro Ximénez
Pedro Ximénez is the name of a white grape grown in certain regions of Spain, and also a varietal wine, an intensely sweet, dark, dessert sherry...
wine is added for sweetness, and for the richness and creaminess that is the hallmark of the style. The Harvey's Bristol Cream brand is now owned and produced by the American company Beam Inc.
Beam Inc.
Beam Inc. is a spirits company established on October 4, 2011 from the remainder of the Fortune Brands holding company after it sold and spun off various other product lines to form a business focused exclusively on spirits and directly related products...
.
The Bristol Cream is the only sherry that is not only commonly served chilled, but on the rocks—the ice cuts the viscosity. A slice of lemon or lime is often added, especially in warmer weather; the acidity of citrus cuts back the sweetness. Since its inception it became the most famous and best selling sherry in the world. In the United States of America it outsells its competitor by nearly two to one. Up to 1960 they purchased wines in Jerez and shipped them to Bristol, England for aging and blending. The business grew from strength to strength and over the years they began buying their own vineyards in Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is a municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, situated midway between the sea and the mountains. , the city, the largest in the province, had 208,896 inhabitants; it is the fifth largest in Andalusia...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, so they could protect the quality of their source material. They own the Estate Vineyards in Jerez Superior, and have exclusive use of the Palomino
Palomino (grape)
Palomino is a white grape widely grown in Spain and South Africa, and best known for its use in the manufacture of sherry.-Wine regions:In Spain, the grape is split into the sub-varieties Palomino Fino, Palomino Basto, and Palomino de Jerez, of which Palomino Fino is by far the most important,...
fruit.
Bristol Cream
Bristol Cream is a brand of SpanishSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
sherry that has been imported into and bottled in Bristol, England since 1796 by John Harvey & Sons of Bristol. Bristol cream is an ingredient
Ingredient
An ingredient is a substance that forms part of a mixture . For example, in cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a specific dish. Many commercial products contain a secret ingredient that is purported to make them better than competing products...
in lobster bisque.