March 2021, UK – Always setting the bar high, Copa Jerez 2021 has just announced the judges for this year’s edition, are: Sarah Jane Evans MW, wine writer, author and Master of Wine who is a renowned Sherry expert and who will chair the judges. Joining Evans is Matthieu Longuere MS, wine director at Le Cordon Bleu London and a Master Sommelier who will be the sommelier judge; and prestigious, chef judge Anna Haugh, owner of Myrtle Restaurant in London and a previous contestant of Copa Jerez UK.
The ninth edition of the Copa de Jerez 2021 is looking for chef and sommelier teams from across the UK to devise a three-course meal which will complement and showcase the versatility of Sherry wines. It’s a test of your knowledge of Sherry wines as a sommelier and your skill in food pairing based on the fabulous dishes your chef team can produce.
The finals will take place at Cord Restaurant by Le Cordon Bleu in Central London on Monday 17 May, 2021, where teams will compete against each other with their Sherry-inspired menu in front of the prestigious panel of judges.
The winners of the UK final will receive a £500 prize and an all-expenses paid trip to Jerez to compete in the international final against other competing teams from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, the United States and Spain.
Commenting on the competition, chair Sarah Jane Evans MW, said, “The Copa Jerez is a sensational event – for judges and contestants. The final takes place in the heart of the glorious old city of Jerez. This means there’s the chance to visit a bodega and enjoy a tapa with a glass of Sherry in between the hard work. As such it has to be the most fun destination of any sommelier competition.”
She continues, “One of the pleasures of the international final is the way it celebrates the diversity of Sherry. Whatever the course, or ingredient, there’s a Sherry style to match. Copa Jerez acts like a reset or jump-start: it’s a whole new way of looking at the wine, and raises the game.”
-ENDS-
Editors’ notes:
Full details of Copa Jerez can be found on www.sherry.wine/copa-jerez
The closing date for entries is Friday 30 April, 2021
Join the conversation: @SherryWinesUK #copajerezUK
