SHERRY WINES ON THE HIGH ROAD TO SUCCESS IN THE U.S.

 

Sherryfest New York, which celebrated its 6th Edition, reached record numbers in terms of attendance

From 23-25 June, New York was not only economic and cultural capital of the world, but also Sherryfest host to numerous activities organised in restaurants, bars and wine shops
After the past five editions of enormous success, the sixth edition of Sherryfest rose to the occasion and was once again the largest Sherry Wine event in New York, held last June 23, 24 and 25.
A complete three-day programme that had the Big Apple brimming with Sherry Wine activities as seminars, tastings and gourmet experiences flooded the city, providing attendees the chance to discover these unique wines and their huge potential for food & wine matching and cocktail mixology.
Sherryfest has now become a consolidated event of international renown, after its first edition was launched in 2012 with American wine critic, Peter Liem, at the helm. Liem, together with Sherry Wine bodega-owners and winemakers, the Sherry Wine Council and Fedejerez, have set their sights on showcasing the uniqueness of Sherry Wines, their cultural value and the gastronomic versatility they possess.
According to the event´s organisers, with Peter Liem at the forefront: "The Sherryfest debut in New York was one of unprecedented success. The Grand Tasting surpassed all previous attendance records, with over 500 professionals registered for the event, making this year´s Sherryfest the most successful to date. There is, without a doubt, a growing interest and taste for Sherry Wines in North America!"
The Grand Tasting was held on June 24 with over twenty Jerez Region bodegas taking part in the event, offering experts and wine enthusiasts the opportunity to choose from over 140 different labels, all with the D.O. Jerez-Xeres-Sherry y Manzanilla de Sanlúcar and tasting was accompanied by oenologists and reps from each bodega. Tickets to the event sold out far earlier than expected and pre-registration had to be closed days before the event.
Attendees were mostly professional sommeliers, distributors, restaurateurs and hospitality professionals, but also young wine aficionados and members of the specialised media, such as Levi Dalton, truly a celebrity commentator when it comes to wine tasting in New York.
Equally popular were the different seminars and paired lunches and dinners, all attended by Sherry winemakers at the city´s top restaurants such as Huertas, Donostia, Racines NY and Toro. Each one of these gastronomic experiences featured themed seminars hosted by experts from the world of Sherry Wines like Paola Medina (Williams and Humbert), Lorenzo García-Iglesias (Tradición) and Montse Molina (Barbadillo). The Director of the Consejo Regulador, César Saldaña, participated in each of the sessions as well, aimed largely at young professionals and gourmet food & wine enthusiasts: "Biological Ageing", "Palos Cortados", "VOS and VORS Wines" or "The Diversity of Sherry Wines" were some of the topics of the seminars led by the Director. The sessions were a rare and delightful opportunity for participants to discover oenological gems that had not been available on the American market before now and to discover their versatility and matching potential with the menus prepared by the participating restaurants.
César Saldaña concluded that, "Sherryfest is a wonderful example of the kind of interest Sherry Wines are awakening in professionals from around the world. It is so pleasing to see such a young and well-trained audience showing their admiration for the quality wines we produce and for the enormous potential they have on the world gastronomic scene."