CSWS Sherry Educators Competition

Congratulations again on passing the CSWS® Online test with Highest Honors during our academic year 2023-2024. We are thrilled to let you know that you can participate in the annual contest that will give you a chance to win one of only two honorary seats reserved by Cesar Saldaña (President of the Sherry Regulatory Council) to the Sherry Educator course in Jerez, Spain!

Winning this contest means obtaining a free spot at the Sherry Educator course* in Jerez, Spain. This highly coveted educational program is only offered in English once a year and for a very limited audience. This year the course will be held from Wednesday, September 18th to Friday 20th, 2024 (both included). Learn below how you can become winner and get one of the two honorary seats available for CSWS Online students!

* All other costs related to this course such as traveling, accommodation, and daily expenses will be participant’s responsibility. Go to Rules and Regulations and download the PDF to learn more details about the award.

Write an essay on one of the various sherry-related topics below.
Pick one and start writing!

Remember that the content must be in English and have a length of between 1,700 and 2,000 words. When you have it ready you can submit your paper by simply replying to the email you originally received with your document attached. You can also email us your document at csws@devlustau.es any time before the deadline. We encourage you to download the templates designed to help us read your essays!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TOPICS:

Why are sherry wines so food friendly?

What are, in your view, the elements in these wines that make them such a food friendly option most of the time (often awarding them as the ‘only’ safe choice to accompany some tricky ingredients)? What is the reason for their overall success on the table? Please approach each major family of sherry wines (biological, dry oxidative, sweet & blends) individually, and share with us your conclusions on their unparalleled versatility & food affinity. Give examples of some of the best food and sherry pairings out there and outline arguments to support your selections.

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The importance of education for the sherry wine industry

Distinguishing between education for professionals and education for consumers, how much do you need to change your game? Providing more technical versus “emotional” content? Is promoting trips to the region and winery visits still a key part of the educational process? Is one of the biggest challenges how to teach sherry in just a few minutes, perhaps using a new approach and/or classification? How should we fight the stigmas around sherry and the association of these wines with very specific demographics or even stereotypes?

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How to introduce Jerez to the next generation of consumers

The world may be saturated with wine, but new market opportunities will always arise for the smarter regions. Define separate strategies for both on and off-premise environments. How is ecommerce treating sherry wine? Are the wines from Jerez any harder to sell outside the restaurant environment? Is the food-pairing element an essential aspect to get that job done? In your opinion, do the labels show enough information about the taste of the wines? Should the Consejo try to come up with a new classification? Are sherry cocktails/drinks the answer to connect with future consumers?

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You’ll have until Friday, July 5th at 12 am ET to submit your paper. Winners will be contacted via email, and, upon acceptance of the Award on July 15th, 2024.

Winners will be appointed through a selection process that will involve Rick Fisher, Wine Scholar Guild Spanish Wine Scholar Director, Lucas Payá, The House of Lustau Brand Educator and a The House of Lustau Company member. Papers will be individually graded by these three sherry experts, and the highest-ranked essays will be evaluated by the panel to choose the winners (2).

Participating requires the acceptance of the Rules & Regulations of the competition. Please download the Regulations by clicking or tapping on the following button to learn more.

DOWNLOAD RULES TO PARTICIPATION

Manzanilla

Fino

Amontillado

Palo Cortado

Oloroso

Medium / Cream

Moscatel

Pedro Ximénez