The Company, The Family, The History of Tio Pepe, Chronology, Videos. Get to know the history of GONZALEZ BYASS
In 1835, young Manuel María González Angel reached Jerez prepared to forge his way in the prosperous and thriving sherry business. Encouraged by the continuous development of exports, that year he acquired a small cellar and begun to prepare and export his own wine. Shortly after, due to the growing success of his company, Manuel Maria Gonzalez decided to form a partnership with Mr Robert Blake Byass, his agent in England, which gave rise to the Gonzalez Byass company.
The Byass family retired from the business in 1988 and since then the company has been owned by the direct descendants of Manuel Maria González who hold almost 100% of the company shares with a small percentage is in the hands of distributors in Switzerland and Japan.
Members of the 4th and 5th generation of the González family currently sit on the Board of Directors.
The members of the Gonzalez family, renowned for their dedication to the world of Viniculture, are also well known for their love of Nature and the Environment and their support of the Arts and Culture, Science and Sports.
The son of the founder, Pedro Nolasco Gonzalez, Marquis of Torresoto, introduced the sport of Polo into Spain and was the founder of the first Sociedad de Tiro de Pichón (Pigeon-Shooting Society) and creator of the first grass tennis court, built within the grounds of the bodega itself.
His son, Manuel Maria González Gordon, Marquis of Bonanza, wrote the most important book ever written about the world of Jerez wines. His work, entitled Jerez Xeres Sherry is considered, 70 years after its first publication, the "Bible" of Sherry.
Manuel Maria Gonzalez was the first businessman in Spain to install electrcity in his Bodegas (Jerez was, together with Haro in La Rioja, the first city in Spain with electric lights) and the first to bring running water to his facilities. He was a key participant in the first railway project in Spain and was instrumental in introducing new industrial techniques and products which were unknown in Spain until that time.
Various members of the González Family have made notable contributions to the preservation of the Natural environment and are members of important environmental organisations such as the Dona¤a Foundation. They are also active in a number of NGOs dedicated to the fight against Cancer, "Projecto Hombre", the Red Cross, etc. Members of the family have also served as Consuls in a number of countries such as Italy, Denmark and Sweden for a number of generations.
The Gonzalez family has been active in the preservation and recuperation of the Historical Heritage of Jerez de la Frontera, participating in a number of restoration projects within the historic city including both civil and ecclesiastical buildings. A good example is the restoration of the Bodegas themselves which have become the most visited in Europe. Come join us for an enjoyable visit to our historic bodegas.
