Xerez

Xerez, historically spelled Xerez de la Frontera and commonly known today as Jerez de la Frontera, is a city and municipality in the province of Cádiz, within the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. The name Xerez is the traditional spelling, while Jerez de la Frontera is the current official designation. The term Xerez is also used for the wine produced in the region, internationally known as sherry, and it appears in the Denomination of Origin Jerez-Xérès-Sherry.

The city lies in southwestern Spain, on the Guadalete River a short distance inland from the Atlantic coast. It is part of the wine-producing area around the Bay of Cádiz and serves as a hub for both industrial and agricultural activities in the region.

Evidence of Phoenician and Tartessian settlement exists in the area, with the town growing under Moorish rule as a port and commercial center. It was retaken by Christian forces in the 13th century and became part of the Crown of Castile. From the 16th century onward, Jerez was a major port for trade with the Americas and a focal point for the development of sherry wine aging in oak casks. The term Jerez-Xérès-Sherry began to denote the wines produced here.

Today the economy centers on sherry production, other agricultural activities, and services, with the wine bodegas and related tourism playing a central role. Notable landmarks include the Alcázar of Jerez and the cathedral city center, and the area hosts events such as the Feria del Caballo, reflecting the region’s equestrian traditions. The Sherry wine industry remains a defining feature of the city’s cultural and economic identity.