Manzanilla San Leon Clasica

The Bodega Herederos de Argüeso was founded by León de Argüeso y Argüeso in 1822. León de Argüeso had settled in Sanlúcar a few years earlier from Arija (Burgos), and initially opened a small grocery business called "Almacén del Reloj" in Calle Bolsa, which gradually prospered. In order to create the wine business, León de Argüeso acquired some old soleras and the "San José" winery, in Callejón de Santo Domingo, which was the first one the business had and is estimated to be over 250 years old.

He never lost contact with his home town, creating and maintaining a school in Arija, among other charitable actions, for whose social work the Ministry of the Interior awarded him the Gran Cruz de la Beneficencia (Grand Cross of Charity).

In order to create the wine company, León de Argüeso acquired some old soleras and the "San José" winery, in callejón de Santo Domingo, which was the first one the business had and which is estimated to be more than 250 years old.

The business was expanded from 1905 onwards, with new cellars being built around the original core of the Bodega San José, opening up the main façade of the whole complex towards Calle Mar. Gradually, a series of new buildings were added until the current large complex, where the company's headquarters and offices are located, was completed.

This entire winery complex is located around Calle Mar, Calle Bolsa, Callejón de Santo Domingo and Calle del Ángel, on what was the former convent and orchards of Santo Domingo, grouped into some twenty cellar canyons, which extend over almost two blocks covering 13,500 square metres. The cellars belong to different periods and styles, although most of them belong to the 19th century, following the style of the winemaking architecture of the time, as well as the large "San Vidal" cellar. It is worth mentioning the spaces that have been preserved from the old convent of Santo Domingo, such as the naves "El Refectorio" and "La Sacristía", which are covered with splendid polychrome coffered ceilings from the 16th century.

In 2016, the Sanlúcar businessman and winemaker Francisco Yuste bought Herederos de Argüeso, S.A. with the intention of making its manzanillas once again the most internationally renowned. In 2017 Manzanilla San León won the highest award at the International Wine Challenge in London, Manzanilla Trophy for the best manzanilla in the world. In 2020 the Amontillado 1822 Solera Fundacional, the winery's most aged wine, was recognised as the best fortified wine in Spain and Portugal at the Vinduero-Vindouro Awards.