Sherry Wine News

The 2018 U.S. Sherry Cocktail Competition is here!

CALLING ALL U.S. BARTENDERS! The U.S. Sherry Cocktail Competition is back for 2018 and we are now accepting entries to find America’s best Sherry cocktail! Submit yours for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Jerez, Spain.

Sherry “can bind a drink, lengthen a drink, brighten a drink, deepen and round a drink,” says Steve Olson, Sherry fanatic, aka wine geek, and founding member of Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR). And he would know! There is nothing that Sherry can't do in cocktails, and now we're on the hunt for the next best Sherry cocktail being served in the United States today. Do you have one that you're particularly proud of? Enter it now!

Of course, there are some rules. You may use any style of Sherry from any bodega in Jerez but each entry must be featured on a restaurant or bar cocktail program.

To enter your cocktail, we'll need to know:

-- the precise recipe
-- the proper garnish
-- the ideal glass

You must explain in writing:

-- why your cocktail is great
-- when to serve and how
-- the exact preparation and steps of assembly
-- the perfect [bar] food match, and why

You must provide:

-- a copy of the cocktail menu of the bar/restaurant where the cocktail is placed and being served
-- a photo of the drink
-- a video of yourself making the drink and explaining why your cocktail is great, when to serve, exact preparation, and the perfect food match; please post it using #SherryCocktailComp

You can submit your recipes at any time, but the deadline for entry is Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018 and at stake is a spot on the coveted U.S. Jerez trip to tour bodegas and take in the best that Andalucía has to offer, as well as a scholarship to the highly-acclaimed Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) 5-day Program in New York City.

ENTER NOW!

2017 - “Calypso Cobbler” by Sam Johnson, Leyenda, Brooklyn, NY 1 of 10

2016 - "On the Vine" by Nathan O'Neill, NoMad in New York, NY 2 of 10

2015 - "Broken Spanish" by Pietro Collina, NoMad in New York, NY 3 of 10

2014 - "The Pyrenees" by Lacy Hawkins, Clover Club in Brooklyn, NY and ingredients 4 of 10

2013 - “Ciclope” by Eric Simpkins, The Lawrence, Atlanta, GA 5 of 10

2011 - “The Cadizian” by Brendan Dorr, B&O American Brasserie, Baltimore, MD 6 of 10

2009 - "Bread & Wine" by Charles Joly, Drawing Room, Chicago, IL 7 of 10

2008 - “Sherry Shrub” by Neyah White, NOPA, San Francisco, CA 8 of 10

2007 - “Madroño (Strawberry Bush) Cobbler” by Giuseppe Gonzalez, Flatiron Lounge, New York, NY 9 of 10

2005 - “La Perla” by Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tres Agaves, San Francisco, CA 10 of 10

The US Sherry Cocktail Competition is a nationwide competition of bartenders/mixologists who are challenged to create the best Sherry cocktail in America. It was designed to showcase the incredible diversity of Sherry wine and it’s remarkable ability for use in cocktails and matching with food. Past winners include:

2017 - Sam Johnson, Leyenda, Brooklyn, NY - "Calypso Cobbler"
2016 - Nathan O’Neill, NoMad in New York, NY - “On the Vine”
2015 - Pietro Collina, NoMad in New York, NY - “Broken Spanish”
2014 - Lacy Hawkins, Clover Club in Brooklyn, NY - “The Pyrenees”
2013 - Eric Simpkins, The Lawrence, Atlanta, GA — “Ciclope”
2012 - Dan Nicolaescu, Mayahuel in New York, NY – “After Dark Cocktail”
2011 - Brendan Dorr, B&O American Brasserie, Baltimore – “The Cadizian”
2009 - Charles Joly, Drawing Room, Chicago – “Bread and Wine”
2008 - Neyah White, NOPA, San Francisco — “Sherry Shrub”
2007 - Giuseppe Gonzalez, Flatiron Lounge, New York, NY — “Madroño (Strawberry Bush) Cobbler”
2005 - Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tres Agaves, San Francisco — “La Perla”

For these cocktail recipes and more, check out the Sherry Cocktail section of Sherry.Wine, or to see this year’s submissions, use the hashtag #SherryCocktailComp on YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter. Any questions? Ask us!

Good luck to all!

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