COPA JEREZ FORUM BECOMES THE BENCHMARK ONCE AGAIN FOR KNOWLEDGE SHARING ON SHERRY WINES AND THE WORLD OF GASTRONOMY

The Villamarta Theatre once again hosted the 11th Edition of Copa Jerez on Monday. Some of the most prominent professionals of the moment took to the stage and reflected on the unique aspects of Jerez Region wines through presentations, panel discussions and culinary demonstrations. The day followed a fully experiential format, much like the last edition held two years ago.

This first day was dedicated to analysis and experience, something which offered sommeliers, restaurateurs, chefs and wine lovers from all over the world the chance to visit the Jerez Region, broaden their knowledge and, together with renowned experts from the sector, discover the latest trends in pairing Sherry Wines and Manzanillas.

Pepe Ferrer, Head of Gastronomy at the Regulatory Council, inaugurated this dynamic event organised by the Regulatory Council of the Sherry Wine and Manzanilla de Sanlúcar appellations and Federjerez, the Federation of Bodegas del Marco de Jerez. This biannual event merges knowledge about Sherry Wines and their tradition with the latest trends in gastronomy and hospitality training and education.

The international presence at the Copa Jerez forum was highlighted by chef Oswaldo Oliva and sommelier Leticia Álvarez from the Mexican restaurant Lorea, who explored the flavours of Mexico and their pairing with Sherry during a panel discussion together with Mexican chefs Juan Carlos Negrete and Carla Ibáñez, chef and sommelier at the double-starred Michelin restaurant in Jerez, Lú Cocina y Alma. "Sherry is not part of our tradition, but it reflects many features of our people," explained Oliva. "There is a cultural dialogue that goes beyond the fact that, organoleptically, the harmonies really work.

Cristina Lasanta, Associate Dean and Professor at the University of Cádiz presented her research on biological ageing below 15 degrees. César Saldaña stressed the importance of this research to offer consumers the same degree at which they are in the solera, while Rafael Arnedo, oenologist at González Byass, concluded that it is possible to make these wines at less than 15 degrees without causing any detrimental effects.

"There are specific moments during the ageing process when the wine naturally has less than 15 degrees, so it is simply a question of monitoring", Lasanta explained. "Yes, it is possible to make wines with less than 15 degrees, but we have to continue working to ensure that this is not detrimental to the bodega", added Rafael Arnedo, winemaker at González Byass.

Monday morning at the Forum ended with a steak tartar and Sherry pairing led by Adrián Collantes, winner of the Best Steak Tartar in Spain competition; Salvador García Arbós, journalist and organiser of the Best Steak Tartar in Spain competition; Carlos Maribona, food critic and journalist; and Robert Tetas, sommelier at Sobretablas. A test of the versatility of this early 20th century French recipe, popularised by chefs such as Escoffier and associated with European culinary sophistication, through three different pairings: a Fino, an Amontillado and an Oloroso.

The evening continued with a tribute to Juli Soler, El Bulli and the Jerez Region. Sommeliers David Seijas, Isabelle Brunet, Lucas Playa, Raúl Igual and Eloy Sánchez, all of whom had the good fortune to work with this great professional, took to the stage to commemorate Juli Soler’s legacy and his love for Sherry Wines. González Byass oenologist, Antonio Flores, also contributed by revealing the Vinos de Selección project, a collection of wines selected by the best sommeliers.

Journalist Juan Manuel Bellver was in charge of the closing session of the Copa Jerez Forum. "Jerez and the Mystery of Palo Cortado" debuted a decade ago in Spanish cinemas. The creators of "El pollo, el pez y el cangrejo real" then immersed themselves in the world of wine to unveil the secret to one of the most celebrated styles of Sherry, namely Palo Cortado. The show "Jerez and the Mystery of Palo Cortado, 10 Years Later" put the finishing touch on a day of presentations at the Copa Jerez Forum & Competition with the live soundtrack of this documentary directed by José Luis López-Linares in 2015.