Sherry Wine News

UK finalist: The Ritz

A preview of the short-listed Copa Jerez UK menu from The Ritz, London to be presented at the UK finals in October.

The chef sommelier team from the iconic Ritz in central London have bought together traditional and modern with this menu.

Giovanni Ferlito, head sommelier, and senior sous chef, Michael Nizzero have drawn on their combined experience in some of the best restaurants in London, Dubai and the UK to create a collection of dishes befitting of the Ritz’s founding father Auguste Escoffier.

Starter: Langoustine, Broad Beans and Mint, paired with Manzanilla Pasada from Bodegas Hidalgo 1 of 3

Fillet of Veal, Sweetbread, Wild Mushroom, Truffle and Oloroso Sauce, paired with 20 year old Oloroso 'Antique' from Fernando de Castilla. 2 of 3

Dessert: Hazelnut and Fig Semifreddo, paired with Noe VORS 30 year old Pedro Ximenez from Gonzalez Byass. 3 of 3

The first course of Langoustine, Broad Beans and Mint is matched with Manzanilla Pasada from Bodegas Hidalgo. Here the lush, light richness of the langoustine is a potentially perfect match for the rich saltiness of Manzanilla Pasada and offset by the crisp, bit of the broad bean and mint.

Their second pairing is brings together a Fillet of Veal, Sweetbread, Wild Mushroom, Truffle and Oloroso Sauce with a 20 year old, Oloroso, “Antique” from Fernando Castilla. For Felito the philosophy behind this dish is “the texture and the creaminess of the sweetbread together with the earthiness of the truffle and the thickness of the Oloroso sauce needs a Sherry which has a round and mellow first mouth but at the same time a strong body and character to support the veal. The combination with the mushrooms puree is an explosion of flavours in the palate and the oxidative notes of the Sherry, help to leave the mouth clean and dry for the next bite.”

Finally, the Ritz team have chosen the Noe VORS 30 year old Pedro Ximenez from Gonzalez Byass to match with a Hazelnut and Fig Semifreddo. For the chef this dessert is all about the combination of textures and flavours. For the sommelier Noe is quite simple “liquid hazelnut and fig semifreddo!”

To read the other seven menus chosen for the 2016 UK final of Copa Jerez click here.

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