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We’re Sherry Educators

Started by Ryan Opaz · 9 months ago

And…..we’re back after 5 days and 4 nights in Jerez de la Frontera, the defacto capital of all things sherry related. As many of you know, we were in Jerez to learn all about Sherry. The D.O. of Jerez for the past 3 years has been working to educate writers, wine edu ... Continue reading »

40 comments

  • Bill

    1 year ago

    Well, I finally decided to pop open that bottle of Lustau Amontillado I bought in July, for Catavino Sherry Month. Maybe it was your trip that inspired me. Maybe it was the futility of watching the Vikings play the national game of the week against our hated rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. In any event, I found a slightly chilled glass of sherry in front of me. It was a nice deep, oxidized color. As a port lover, the brain is anticipating something rich and complex, with a sweet payoff at the end. Well, the rich and complex came through but the finish was dry. Of course, I knew it was going to be dry, but everything else about these characteristics screamed "sweet".


    The end result is that I believe I can achieve a level of appreciation for this beverage, in finely meted out doses. I drank my sherry without food. I think food is probably required if one is going to drink more than a glass or two, simply to counter the effects of the alcohol content.



    In conclusion, I can no longer say that I don't like sherry. I know, not a great endorsement, but it's a start.
    reply
  • Jack

    1 year ago

    One thing I've noticed (but my sample size is small) is that wine geeks are practically afraid of drinking sherry. Beer? No problem. But sherry? It's, "I'll pass on that." This only changes at the end of the meal when they suddenly become willing to drink a sweet sherry as a dessert wine. But paring dry, quality sherry with food? No way, Pepe!
    reply
  • Jack

    1 year ago

    I wonder if sherry simply suffers from the "you need to try something 20 or so times before you get to like it" rule?* Before delving seriously into wine, I drank a lot of Harvey's Bristol Cream. With food and by itself. Did you get a sense of people at the end of this wine class that most or all who didn't like sherry before do now?


    *Besides people not getting the ones that are supposed to be fresh/very young actually getting it that way - and thanks for reminding me about this - something I knew before but had forgotten.
    reply
  • Bill

    1 year ago

    Well, I finally decided to pop open that bottle of Lustau Amontillado I bought in July, for Catavino Sherry Month. Maybe it was your trip that inspired me. Maybe it was the futility of watching the Vikings play the national game of the week against our hated rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. In any event, I found a slightly chilled glass of sherry in front of me. It was a nice deep, oxidized color. As a port lover, the brain is anticipating something rich and complex, with a sweet payoff at the end. Well, the rich and complex came through but the finish was dry. Of course, I knew it was going to be dry, but everything else about these characteristics screamed "sweet".

    The end result is that I believe I can achieve a level of appreciation for this beverage, in finely meted out doses. I drank my sherry without food. I think food is probably required if one is going to drink more than a glass or two, simply to counter the effects of the alcohol content.

    In conclusion, I can no longer say that I don't like sherry. I know, not a great endorsement, but it's a start.
    reply
  • Troy

    1 year ago

    and given the language in which we are writing, we might have a residual British predilection for drinking it in the afternoon. must admit, it never occured to me to have a bottle of it with a meal...


    by the way, Bill, eight carries for Peterson? you deserved to lose. ;-)
    reply
  • Jack

    1 year ago

    One thing I've noticed (but my sample size is small) is that wine geeks are practically afraid of drinking sherry. Beer? No problem. But sherry? It's, "I'll pass on that." This only changes at the end of the meal when they suddenly become willing to drink a sweet sherry as a dessert wine. But paring dry, quality sherry with food? No way, Pepe!
    reply
  • Jack

    1 year ago

    I wonder if sherry simply suffers from the "you need to try something 20 or so times before you get to like it" rule?* Before delving seriously into wine, I drank a lot of Harvey's Bristol Cream. With food and by itself. Did you get a sense of people at the end of this wine class that most or all who didn't like sherry before do now?

    *Besides people not getting the ones that are supposed to be fresh/very young actually getting it that way - and thanks for reminding me about this - something I knew before but had forgotten.
    reply
  • Troy

    1 year ago

    and given the language in which we are writing, we might have a residual British predilection for drinking it in the afternoon. must admit, it never occured to me to have a bottle of it with a meal...

    by the way, Bill, eight carries for Peterson? you deserved to lose. ;-)
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Allow me to start by saying that I was by no means sherry obsessed before this seminar. I was wholeheartedly curious, but hesitant. Hesitant because my experiences have felt disjointed, tasting a few sherries here and there, but nothing that ever truly caught my attention.


    Now, I can honestly say that I am officially addicted.



    Our first evening sipping an entire bottle of Tio Pepe under the star studded sky amongst children playing inside an empty gazebo was enchanting. Visiting wineries dating back to the 1800's containing barrels stacked from floor to ceiling, slowly evolving and collaborating among themselves in complete silence. If you listened carefully enough, you could almost hear the stories from the drops remaining in the solera from hundreds years ago. To be there, to physically taste from a barrel knowing that there are trace amounts of wine from god only knows how far back, is indescribable. I get chills every time I think about it.



    Couple the almost mausoleum like environment to tasting a flight of wines so exciting, so radically different in every possible characteristic, you can't help but to fall in love.



    We place Sherry in its own category, a wine for special occasions. Yet it's a wine that can be drunk at all occasions. Like Cava, we think it requires a specific glass, very specific food, and a damn fine reason to drink it, but that's not the case. We also pigeon hole it into one category: sweet or dry, white or brown. One cannot have both, right?



    We want consistency and ease, but sherry is flexible. One can find a style for any food and for all occasions.



    I'm committed to changing sherry's stereotype. Find me any wine geek that will permit someone to say, "I prefer white wine to red." I guarantee that they will jump to their soapboxes and scream to the heavens that one can't dislike "red wine" nor like all "white wine" when there are hundreds, if not thousands, to experience. "All" is a loaded word and can rarely be used casually. I guarantee there is a style of sherry for just about everyone.
    reply
  • RichardA

    1 year ago

    Congratulations to both of you for gaining your Sherry certification! It is always good to learn more about a subject of which you are passionate. And I certainly agree that Sherry has received a bad rep and much more is needed to spead the word of the joys of Sherry. The problem is not just the consumer but many wine stores as well. They rarely have much of a selection of Sherry, and its freshness leaves much to be desired.
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    You're absolutely correct Richard, hence the chicken and egg effect. Because retailers know little about sherry, they tend to both store and educate consumers poorly. Equally true is that consumers tend not to try sherry, and consequently, make bottles sit well past their "expiration date".
    reply
  • Ryan

    1 year ago

    In truth i asked all 23 or so individuals about their preferences to sherry before we started, and all said they liked it. No surprise, the DO probably planned this, but I did find that as time went on more and more people started to fall in love with it. REALLY fall in love with it.


    One thing I just thought of is that I wonder if people don't put sherry in a category with real wine. In fact I assumed this, but the one thing they stressed is that sherry is a WINE, not a "special" wine, doomed to short bus status for eternity. It should be drunk with meals, and it's alcohol levels are not that outlandish when compared with other wines found in today's markets.



    Finally, what is the next article you want us to write on sherry? We have other stuff to jab on about, but I want to know, for real. What is the next article on sherry going to be titled. A challenge, please give us your ideas. The best title(s) will have articles written on the titles subject...Who's first?
    reply
  • RichardA

    1 year ago

    What are the best sources for Sherry in the U.S.?




    --By this, I mean which importers/distributors have the best Sherry portfolio, which wine stores carry the best selections, etc.



    Fear of Sherry





    --How do we initiate newcomers into drinking Sherry
    reply
  • Dr. Debs

    1 year ago

    Congratulations! I was encouraged to have a glass of sherry and some Marcona almonds at a tapas bar recently. It was really good, and a nice change of pace for a pre-dinner drink. I will definitely be following these wines more, and will continue reading the great articles you post here.
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Allow me to start by saying that I was by no means sherry obsessed before this seminar. I was wholeheartedly curious, but hesitant. Hesitant because my experiences have felt disjointed, tasting a few sherries here and there, but nothing that ever truly caught my attention.

    Now, I can honestly say that I am officially addicted.

    Our first evening sipping an entire bottle of Tio Pepe under the star studded sky amongst children playing inside an empty gazebo was enchanting. Visiting wineries dating back to the 1800's containing barrels stacked from floor to ceiling, slowly evolving and collaborating among themselves in complete silence. If you listened carefully enough, you could almost hear the stories from the drops remaining in the solera from hundreds years ago. To be there, to physically taste from a barrel knowing that there are trace amounts of wine from god only knows how far back, is indescribable. I get chills every time I think about it.

    Couple the almost mausoleum like environment to tasting a flight of wines so exciting, so radically different in every possible characteristic, you can't help but to fall in love.

    We place Sherry in its own category, a wine for special occasions. Yet it's a wine that can be drunk at all occasions. Like Cava, we think it requires a specific glass, very specific food, and a damn fine reason to drink it, but that's not the case. We also pigeon hole it into one category: sweet or dry, white or brown. One cannot have both, right?

    We want consistency and ease, but sherry is flexible. One can find a style for any food and for all occasions.

    I'm committed to changing sherry's stereotype. Find me any wine geek that will permit someone to say, "I prefer white wine to red." I guarantee that they will jump to their soapboxes and scream to the heavens that one can't dislike "red wine" nor like all "white wine" when there are hundreds, if not thousands, to experience. "All" is a loaded word and can rarely be used casually. I guarantee there is a style of sherry for just about everyone.
    reply
  • RichardA

    1 year ago

    Congratulations to both of you for gaining your Sherry certification! It is always good to learn more about a subject of which you are passionate. And I certainly agree that Sherry has received a bad rep and much more is needed to spead the word of the joys of Sherry. The problem is not just the consumer but many wine stores as well. They rarely have much of a selection of Sherry, and its freshness leaves much to be desired.
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    You're absolutely correct Richard, hence the chicken and egg effect. Because retailers know little about sherry, they tend to both store and educate consumers poorly. Equally true is that consumers tend not to try sherry, and consequently, make bottles sit well past their "expiration date".
    reply
  • Ryan Opaz

    1 year ago

    In truth i asked all 23 or so individuals about their preferences to sherry before we started, and all said they liked it. No surprise, the DO probably planned this, but I did find that as time went on more and more people started to fall in love with it. REALLY fall in love with it.

    One thing I just thought of is that I wonder if people don't put sherry in a category with real wine. In fact I assumed this, but the one thing they stressed is that sherry is a WINE, not a "special" wine, doomed to short bus status for eternity. It should be drunk with meals, and it's alcohol levels are not that outlandish when compared with other wines found in today's markets.

    Finally, what is the next article you want us to write on sherry? We have other stuff to jab on about, but I want to know, for real. What is the next article on sherry going to be titled. A challenge, please give us your ideas. The best title(s) will have articles written on the titles subject...Who's first?
    reply
  • RichardA

    1 year ago

    What are the best sources for Sherry in the U.S.?
    --By this, I mean which importers/distributors have the best Sherry portfolio, which wine stores carry the best selections, etc.

    Fear of Sherry
    --How do we initiate newcomers into drinking Sherry
    reply
  • Dr. Debs

    1 year ago

    Congratulations! I was encouraged to have a glass of sherry and some Marcona almonds at a tapas bar recently. It was really good, and a nice change of pace for a pre-dinner drink. I will definitely be following these wines more, and will continue reading the great articles you post here.
    reply
  • Ryan

    1 year ago

    Great to hear Debs! Glad you found a way to enjoy!


    Richard, great Title's, now to think about what we want to use...hmmm...research needs to be done...
    reply
  • Jill

    1 year ago

    Congrats! Now I need you to teach me! I will also be reading closely...
    reply
  • Ryan Opaz

    1 year ago

    Great to hear Debs! Glad you found a way to enjoy!

    Richard, great Title's, now to think about what we want to use...hmmm...research needs to be done...
    reply
  • Jill

    1 year ago

    Congrats! Now I need you to teach me! I will also be reading closely...
    reply
  • Frank Haddad

    1 year ago

    Congratulations! How often do they run this courses?
    reply
  • Frank Haddad

    1 year ago

    Congratulations! How often do they run this courses?
    reply
  • Ryan

    1 year ago

    Frank, it's a once a year event. One class in English and One in Spanish
    reply
  • Ryan Opaz

    1 year ago

    Frank, it's a once a year event. One class in English and One in Spanish
    reply
  • Anneloes

    1 year ago

    Dear all,


    I can only say that I totally agree with Ryan and Gabriella. We had a great time in Jerez and although I was already obsessed with sherry before joining the course, I'm now more or less addicted to it.





    I will do my utmost in promoting these terrific wines in Holland!



    Regards,





    Anneloes





    Certified Sherry Educator, Holland
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Anneloes, we loved having you with us in the class and trust you will do a fantastic job promoting sherry wine! Hopefully, we'll come visit you one day in Holland and see your course up close and live :-)
    reply
  • Anneloes

    1 year ago

    Dear all,

    I can only say that I totally agree with Ryan and Gabriella. We had a great time in Jerez and although I was already obsessed with sherry before joining the course, I'm now more or less addicted to it.
    I will do my utmost in promoting these terrific wines in Holland!

    Regards,
    Anneloes
    Certified Sherry Educator, Holland
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Anneloes, we loved having you with us in the class and trust you will do a fantastic job promoting sherry wine! Hopefully, we'll come visit you one day in Holland and see your course up close and live :-)
    reply
  • Mark V Marino

    1 year ago

    Hey Ryan,


    I just linked to you and Alder linked to me, cool, the brotherhood continues.



    Sherry is very old and least appreciated, it stems back to fortified wines in general which were originally created to survive long ocean voyages.



    I have used sherry since I was introduced to chinese cuisine in the early 1980's, good sherry like good wine improves a dish when used in cooking. At the same time qualitity sherry is always a nice aperitif while waiting for the dinner to finish.



    Whoa, I am thinking now of aged maderia as an alternative, do you know maderia ages best of all wines, hmmm they are so nutty.



    My point is that these wines are wonderful for drinking and for cooking! Never cook with bad wine, nor drink it!



    Thanks Ryan!
    reply
  • Ryan

    1 year ago

    Two points Mark, "good sherry like good wine improves a dish when used in cooking" Sherry is Wine. This is a point the DO stressed during the whole seminar. Sherry is a wine like any other.


    Also Madeira is a wine that really doesn't age. It lasts a long time, but from what I've read an the people I've talked to it doesn't really change once it's in bottle. You can have a 200 year old bottle that tastes the same as the day it was put in bottle. Truely amazing stuff!



    Thanks for the comment!





    Cheers,
    reply
  • Mark V Marino

    1 year ago

    Hey Ryan,

    I just linked to you and Alder linked to me, cool, the brotherhood continues.

    Sherry is very old and least appreciated, it stems back to fortified wines in general which were originally created to survive long ocean voyages.

    I have used sherry since I was introduced to chinese cuisine in the early 1980's, good sherry like good wine improves a dish when used in cooking. At the same time qualitity sherry is always a nice aperitif while waiting for the dinner to finish.

    Whoa, I am thinking now of aged maderia as an alternative, do you know maderia ages best of all wines, hmmm they are so nutty.

    My point is that these wines are wonderful for drinking and for cooking! Never cook with bad wine, nor drink it!

    Thanks Ryan!
    reply
  • Ryan Opaz

    1 year ago

    Two points Mark, "good sherry like good wine improves a dish when used in cooking" Sherry is Wine. This is a point the DO stressed during the whole seminar. Sherry is a wine like any other.

    Also Madeira is a wine that really doesn't age. It lasts a long time, but from what I've read an the people I've talked to it doesn't really change once it's in bottle. You can have a 200 year old bottle that tastes the same as the day it was put in bottle. Truely amazing stuff!

    Thanks for the comment!
    Cheers,
    reply
  • Anneloes

    1 year ago

    Dear Gabriella,


    Hope everything is ok with you and Ryan. I just saw the pictures of the Seminar in Jerez, fantastic! Brought back all the sweet memories. We hope to return to Jerez sometime this year, after our marriage in May.





    I'm really busy promoting the Vinos de Jerez in Holland and things look positive. People are really curious to learn more about these superb wines.





    We surely hope to see you soon, be it in Holland or in Spain. Lets keep in touch.





    Sweet regards, Anneloes
    reply
  • Anneloes

    1 year ago

    Dear Gabriella,

    Hope everything is ok with you and Ryan. I just saw the pictures of the Seminar in Jerez, fantastic! Brought back all the sweet memories. We hope to return to Jerez sometime this year, after our marriage in May.
    I'm really busy promoting the Vinos de Jerez in Holland and things look positive. People are really curious to learn more about these superb wines.
    We surely hope to see you soon, be it in Holland or in Spain. Lets keep in touch.
    Sweet regards, Anneloes
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Hey Anneloes! We would love to see you and fiance again, whether that be in Spain or Holland. Although to be honest, we've been dreaming of enjoying Holland, so hopefully, you'll see us there! We'll most likely be in Jerez in May, but we'll keep in touch and see if we can't plan some time together this year!
    reply
  • Gabriella

    1 year ago

    Hey Anneloes! We would love to see you and fiance again, whether that be in Spain or Holland. Although to be honest, we've been dreaming of enjoying Holland, so hopefully, you'll see us there! We'll most likely be in Jerez in May, but we'll keep in touch and see if we can't plan some time together this year!
    reply

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