14.3.17 Sherry Shines in Bacchus Competition

Of the 18 wines awarded Gran Bacchus de Oro medals at the XV edition of the competition, no fewer than 15 were Spanish and no fewer than 6 were from Jerez, showing how seriously experts now take Sherry. Bacchus is the only International Wine Competition in Spain recognised by the OIMV (International Organisation of Vines and Wine) and is thus very prestigious. At the competition held in Madrid over the past few days, national and international experts tasted their way through over 1,500 wines awarding Gran Bacchus de Oro, Bacchus de Oro and Bacchus de Plata medals to deserving entries. 

Spain did extremely well in general, but here are the Sherry results:

Gran Bacchus Oro

Tradición CZ: Oloroso VORS and Pedro Ximénez VOS

Fundador: Harveys Oloroso VORS

Lustau: Oloroso VORS

González Byass: Noé Pedro Ximénez VORS

Díez Mérito: Pemartín Amontillado

Bacchus Oro

Tradición CZ: Palo Cortado VORS and Cream VOS

Fundador: Harveys Palo Cortado

Lustau: Pedro Ximénez VORS

González Byass: Cuatro Palmas

Coop Católica Agricola: Moscatel Pasas Los Madroñales

Bacchus Plata

Tradición CZ: Amontillado VORS

Fundador: Harveys Fino

Lustau: Palo Cortado VORS and Fino La Ina

González Byass: Tres Palmas and Apóstoles Palo Cortado VORS

Díez Mérito: Fino Pemartín, Pedro Ximénez Pemartín  and Oloroso Pemartín

It has to be said that there have been a few raised eyebrows in Jerez that the Pemartín Amontillado (and indeed its stablemates) did so well. It is young and sells at around six euros and has outscored many a VORS. Still, this sort of anomaly seems to happen at all wine competitions, so congratulations to Díez Mérito.