The Kick Off:
The three day event kicked off with a dinner featuring Bodegas Tradición & Delgado Zuleta wines accompanied by the inventive eats found at Chef’s Club. The dinner was followed by an after party hosted by Donostia where Will Peet’s Sherry Cocktails, the Basque taverna tapas, and customary Spanish spirit were plentiful and set the tone for the remaining six seminars, three dinners, and Great Tasting.
The Seminars:
The Flor Aging in Manzanilla with Barbadillo’s Montse Molina introduced the novice or experienced Sherry drinker to the magic of flor and the power of the bodegas architecture and geography.
Paola Medina head wine maker of Williams and Humbert and Myrna Santos Mayor of Lustau thoroughly impressed attendees with their seminar on the art of blending and the complex process that is the solera system.
Aging Without Flor featuring Lorenzo García-Iglesias of Bodegas Tradición and Pelayo García of Delgado Zuleta introduced guests to the world of oxidative aging which is responsible for the development of some of the most treasured Sherry notes of nuts, caramel, chocolate and exotic spice.
Antonio Flores’ poetic prose and impressive lineup of vintage wines were a standout for many seminar attendees and wooed even the most seasoned of Sherry drinkers.
Fernando Hidalgo of Emilio Hidalgo and Jose Manuel Soto of Díez-Mérito guided sommelier and restaurant professionals alike on how to create space for and make Sherry shine in his Wine in Sherry Programs seminar.
The Dinners:
Barbadillo and Emilio Hidalgo temporarily overtook Huertas in the East Village and took attendees on a terrific trip through the Sherry portfolio matched with Chef Miller’s Basque influenced fair.
González Byass & Valdespino found a home on the West Side Highway at Toro and impressed diners and drinkers with the extensive lineup and passion for their craft.
The Sherry lovers at the Gala Dinner were wowed by the lineup Lustau, Williams & Humbert, and Sanchez Romate and satiated by the exquisite pairings prepared by Racines. The amity of the event was taken to a new level with the addition of this year’s BYO Sherry component where producers and guests shared some extremely special and unique bottles from their personal collections.
We can’t say we would be sad if these tasting menus took up permanent residency.
The Grand Tasting:
The open and bright floor plan of City Winery was the perfect stage for the culmination of Sherryfest. The Great Tasting was a glutinous affair with dozens of Sherry Producers, Spanish treats, and hundreds of remarkable and rare Sherries that beautifully displayed its range. Guests were treated to specialty cocktails by local bartenders and a seminar by David Wondrich highlighting the history of Sherry as a cocktail base.
Needless to say, we’re looking forward to what Sherryfest has in store for us next year!
