Jerez, Spain. July 10th, 2017. Sergio Martínez, Cellar Master at the House of Lustau was named “Best Fortified Winemaker 2016” at the prestigious International Wine Challenge Awards Gala celebrated in London last Thursday night, July 6th.

This award was particularly poignant for Sergio Martinez. After more than 14 years at the House of Lustau, Sergio assumed the role of Cellar Master last summer following the sudden passing of his predecessor and mentor, Manuel Lozano, who had earned the International Wine Challenge Best Fortified Winemaker Award for seven consecutive years from 2009 to 2015.

“I am enormously proud of being part of the Lustau team” he stated after receiving the award. “This prize is recognition for each and every one of us working at Lustau” Sergio continued. “I feel incredibly blessed for having had Manolo Lozano’s guidance throughout my career. He was a great teacher and an extraordinary individual. Always generous, creative and visionary. Thank you Manolo, for showing me the way!”

Luis Luengo, General Manager at the House of Lustau, celebrates: “This prize confirms our continuous search for the highest quality standards and our commitment to keeping and maintaining our genuine Lustau style, as demanded by our customers and consumers.”

This year’s award is the crowning glory to the exceptional results obtained by the House of Lustau in the 34th edition of the International Wine Challenge. With 48 medals, including 14 Golds, the House of Lustau is the most awarded sherry producer and the most awarded European winery in the history of the International Wine Challenge.

About Lustau

Bodegas Lustau is considered a world-class benchmark for top-quality wines. Lustau’s philosophy has remained unchanged since its inception in 1896: to provide consumers with the widest and most select range of Sherry specialties. In 2016, Bodegas Lustau was named Best Sherry Producer by the International Wine and Spirit Competition and ranked number 7 in the WAWWJ “Top 100 wineries in the world” annual ranking.