From the floral delights of a chilled Manzanilla or Fino, to the rich and nutty notes of an Amontillado and Oloroso; and from the intense umami flavours of a Palo Cortado, to the sweet caramel heaven that is Pedro Ximenez – #SherryWeek is the week to taste, discover and love them all.
With the new dates perfectly timed to fall before Daylight Saving Time starts, and encompassing the Spanish national holiday Columbus Day on 12 October, Sherry lovers will be able to enjoy their tasting and pairing events outside on warm autumn evenings, before the nights draw in and winter approaches. The new dates, 8-14 October, also allow ISW to stand alone from European Wine Tourism Day, which takes place in November.
HIGHLIGHTS OF ISW 2017
30 COUNTRIES ON FIVE CONTINENTS
In 2017, ISW had more than 2,500 registered events in 30 countries and overseas territories – an increase of 25% for the third consecutive year. Not only is it Sherry’s main event, ISW is also one of the most celebrated annual events in the wine world. The UK alone held 700 events – 100 per day, with gastronomic events such as pairings being the most popular.
As always, Social Media played a key role in spreading the word about ISW events, using the #sherryweek hashtag, with more than 15,000 original posts and almost 50 million potential impacts across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The majority of events were gastronomy-focussed (65%), such as pairing menus, with the second-most popular being retail events (23%), including tastings and promotions, while sherry cocktails are a fast-growing area (17%).
Best ISW Event – win 1,000€ worth of Sherry wines!
Sponsored by the Jerez Chamber of Commerce, this year will see the return of the Best ISW Event Competition. Participants could win 1000€ in Sherry Wines, based on their event being innovative and original. To be eligible to win, click here.
Chinese Sherry entrepreneur Monica Zhou won last year’s prize for the most innovative business initiative in Sherry Week. Monica ‘s company, Shanghai Talentum Trading, imports and distributes wines in China from around 20 Sherry bodegas; she also runs courses for sommeliers, and hotel and catering professionals in her country.
The event organised by Monica and her husband Zhu Jiang presented an impressive logistical challenge: four simultaneous events in four different parts of China - north, south, east and west - with regional dishes from each area paired with Sherries.
Monica’s prize was a selection of Sherries worth 1,000 euros, shipped to her in China, courtesy of the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Jerez de la Frontera and the Confederation of Business of the Province of Cádiz.
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR 2018
