Sherry and cheese pairing, with the Academy of Cheese

The Academy of Cheese returns to WSET School London for our first cheese and wine tasting of 2021, this time celebrating cheese and sherry combinations. Our own Lydia Harrison MW will take you through the classic and complex different styles of sherry, while Academy of Cheese expert Patrick McGuigan will showcase a variety of cheeses originating from different countries, curds and crafting techniques.

By the end of the tasting, you'll understand the Academy of Cheese approach to tasting cheese and know how sherries can provide a delightful and versatile pairing.

The wines:

>Fino
>Amontillado
>Oloroso
>Palo Cortado
>Moscatel
>Pedro Ximenez

The cheese:

> Valencay
> Manchego
> Vacherin
> Cloth-bound Cheddar
> Aged Gouda
> Cabrales

About Lydia Harrison MW:

Lydia is a born and bred Londoner and has spent her entire career in the wine industry, starting in retail at Majestic Wine where she worked for six years, during which time she completed the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines with Distinction and won the coveted Vintners' Scholarship for the highest mark in the UK trade. Today, Lydia organises our ever-changing tastings and events programme, ensuring that our offering is packed with opportunities for you to taste an eclectic range of wines, spirits and sake.

She became a Master of Wine in August 2019 after completing a research paper focused on online wine education. She is also a Bordeaux Ambassador for the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) and a Certified Sherry Educator.

About Patrick McGuigan:

Patrick is a Brighton-based freelance food journalist and cheese writer, who contributes regularly to titles including The Telegraph, The Financial Times, Harrods Magazine and Restaurant, among many others.

As one of the country's leading cheese writers and communicators, Patrick has interviewed many of the world's best cheesemakers, affineurs and mongers, writing extensively on the subject for the Telegraph, among others, and appearing on BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme.

He hosts regular talks and tastings for the public, trade and press, and is a senior judge at the World Cheese Awards and the Cheesemonger of the Year award. He also runs training courses at the School of Fine Food and has studied cheese at the School of Artisan Food, the Cheese Guild and the Academy of Cheese.