Copa Jerez 2023: the atmosphere, the sherry and the prizes

On October 3rd and 4th, Jerez de la Frontera was in a frenzy. The crème de la crème of international gastronomy gathered for the Copa Jerez. A sherry feast to die for.

I will take you through the three-day program.

Day 1: Welcome drink

The official program began around 8:30 PM at Bodegas Tradición. Bodegas Tradición makes fantastic sherries, so of course I didn't want to miss it. I was there a year ago, during the press trip organized by PitchPR, and the bodega has stolen my heart ever since.

Although Bodegas Tradición is now an established name in the wine world, it's still relatively young. It was founded in 1998 by real estate mogul Joaquín Rivera, who wanted to pay tribute to the rich traditions of Jerez. He acquired old soleras (including those from Osborne and Delgado) and restored a 19th-century bodega to bring them together. There you'll find some 1,500 barrels of long-aged sherry. For a long time, it was the only bodega in the region that didn't produce fino, releasing only wines that were at least 20 years old (so VOS and VORS). This tradition was only broken in 2007 with the introduction of their first fino. But, as you might expect from Tradición, it's not your average fino. This fino is aged for a full 12 years, a significant difference from most finos, which average between 4 and 7 years.

“You'll always have a home in Jerez,” said Helena Rivero, the daughter and current owner of Bodegas Tradición. The entire bodega, including the museum section (featuring works by Goya and Velazquez), was open to the public. I couldn't resist checking out the archives with centuries-old documents, including the first entry for fino from 1770.

Day 2: Copa Jerez & dinner at Bodegas Lustau

The next day was dedicated to the Copa Jerez, the international competition between teams—consisting of a chef and a sommelier—from seven countries. America, Spain, Germany, Denmark, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands competed. During the national preliminary rounds, Randy Bouwer and Martijn Wijnands emerged victorious, as sommelier and chef, respectively, at restaurant Vigor.

The tension was palpable at the Teatro Villamarta. Admittedly, I wasn't sure what to expect from such a competition. But I have to say: they pulled out all the stops. After a short, rousing speech, the curtain was raised and the seven teams appeared on stage in their mini-kitchens.

It didn't take long before the first appetizer—the Netherlands was up first—was presented to the jury. And that jury is not insignificant: Jancis Robinson, Almudena Alberca (both Master of Wine), Pascaline Lepeltier (Best Sommelier of France 2018), Melania Bellesini (Head Sommelier at The Fat Duck in London), and Josep Roca (co-owner of El Cellar de Can Roca***).

To the public, everything seemed to be running smoothly, but behind the scenes, there were occasional voices raised. Well, a broken air conditioner in a 33-degree outside temperature doesn't do anyone any good.

Finally, all teams served and explained their three-course menu with matching sherry to the jury. the sherry.wine website you will find all the dishes and matching sherry.

After a wonderful meal at La Carbóna (highly recommended), it was time for a little reset in the hotel room. This time we stayed in the Sherry Park Hotel , a slightly dated but excellent hotel with a very relaxed breakfast and a large pool. Plus: you can walk to the town center in 20 minutes. Perfect for working off those extra calories from those jamón and croquetas.

Good thing too, because that evening, a visit and dinner at Bodegas Lustau were planned. This bodega, with a history dating back to 1896, started as an almacenista. An almacenista is a type of distributor who buys young base wines or produces them themselves, ages them in soleras, and then sells them to shippers. The shippers can then either age the wines further or export them. More about this >

Bodegas Lustau eventually began bottling their own sherry, but always remained true to their almacenista roots. In 1981, they launched the almacenista series, showcasing a number of special almacenistas and marketing their sherry.

The highlight of the visit was dinner: a meter-long table in the middle of the bodega. What a dream.

Day 3: Copa Jerez Forum & Ceremonial Award Ceremony

The next day, the mini-kitchens in the Teatro Villamatra were cleared out, and several presentations were scheduled. It's always a question of how interesting they are. Adding to the difficulty was the fact that the main language was Spanish. Fortunately, there was an interpreter so you could listen in via the Copa Jerez app. Very high-tech and very well-organized, but I was a bit skeptical beforehand about whether it would be anything.

It was awesome.

François Chartier talked about molecules. I didn't know the man, but he apparently has all kinds of books Written about "aromatic science." It turns out there's a molecular harmony between nori and raspberry. Very interesting. Ferrán Centelles, former sommelier at El Bulli, took us back to the Jerez of 3,000 years ago. In between, we had lunch at Biba, the new bar of the Michelin-starred restaurant Lú, on the outskirts of the city (near the Sherry Park Hotel).

Josep Roca of El Cellar de Can Roca closed the Copa Jerez Forum with a sherry tasting, and not just any sherry: he paired unique sherries with opera. We all got a sip of the super-rare Valdespino Moscatel Viejísimo Toneles, and Ismael Jordi sang his heart out. A tearjerker!

In the evening, the ceremonial presentation was scheduled at Bodegas González Byass, better known for the sherry brand Tío Pepe – the first registered trademark of Spain in 1888. After many speeches and a dinner the time had finally come and the winners were announced.

The Danish team took home the top prize, while the Dutch team Vigor took home the award for best main course.

• Best main course for Vigor, Netherlands
• Best sommelier for Gianluca di Taranto, Belgium
• Best appetizer for Dinings SW3, United Kingdom
• Best dessert for Ambivium, Spain
• Dear Chef for Allan Schultz of Parsley Salon, Denmark
• Most creative menu for the brothers Daniele Tortomasi and Gabrielle Tortomasi, Ackermannshof* & Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Germany

I wrote an article about the competition for the Perswijn website. Read here >

Copa Jerez: a magnet for wine enthusiasts

As I boarded the plane, still basking in the afterglow of those three days, questions kept running through my head. How is it that sherry is so popular among wine enthusiasts and sommeliers, while the general public still steers clear of it? The divide is enormous. During my courses, I have to do everything I can to get students to taste sherry, beyond the preconceived notions. People still associate it with old grannies or think that all sherry is sweet.

It's strange that sherry is still so far removed from the consumer, while the crème de la crème of the wine and gastronomy worlds come together here. Even Queen Jancis was there! I said it before and I'll say it again: make sherry great again.

Convinced? Now's your chance to get started. From November 6th to 12th, 2023, it's Sherry Wine Week , and you can sample sherry at various locations throughout the country (but especially in Amsterdam).

More about sherry?

• A wine fan in Jerez
• A wine fan in Sanlúcar de Barrameda
• Make sherry great again: Cota 45

Also don't forget the Sherry Notes website to check out for much more information about the wines from El Marco.