Sherry is currently experiencing an unprecedented revival, with Jerez – the centre for Sherry - recently crowned the European Wine Capital for 2014. Annie Manson, possibly the only female British Sherry educator–cum-cook in Andalucia and known for her Annie B's Spanish Kitchen, introduces the The Ultimate Sherry and Culinary Tour of Jerez, a one-off exclusive trip during the grape harvest festival in September. Annie is also part of the 6-strong team co-ordinating a global celebration of the popular drink: the first ever International Sherry Week(2 – 8 June 2014). The Week will capture the essence of these unique wines through a network of public and private events in bars, restaurants, hotels, bodegas, universities, tabancos and wine clubs around the world.

The Ultimate Sherry and Culinary Tour of Jerez

During Vendimia (from 11 Sept.) – the harvest of the Palomino, Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez grapes - Annie B and fellow Sherry-educator Chelsea Anthon, the co-founders of International Sherry Week, will provide specialist insider-access to a world that no other Sherry tour can reach: an exclusive action-packed four night / three day journey through the Sherry Triangle of southern Andalucia to learn about the Sherry making process.

This is a once in a lifetime indulgent gastronomic adventure, accompanied by an intimate gathering of fellow food-lovers. The two Sherry aficionados will lead their small party down the back alleys and deep into the vines to uncover the history, and reveal the secrets of Spain's greatest contribution to the world, with plenty of special memories created along the way.

Based at a top-rated hotel in the centre of Jerez, the European Wine Capital of 2014, the party will meet some of the finest experts, sample all eight varieties of Sherry, and learn how to cook with this wonderfully rich ingredient. In so doing, they will hone their knowledge, stun their palate and leave with an appreciation of one of the world's oldest, yet most undervalued fortified wines.

The tour will follow the Palomino grape on its journey as a simple white wine through the FAB (Fortified, Aged and Blended) process to become a deliciously complex Sherry wine. Guests can fully immerse themselves in the process by picking their own juicy grapes and removing their shoes and socks before trampling. Under Annie's professional guidance, guests cook their own lunches in the kitchens of unique Sherry Bodegas, and attend Sherry tastings. Take a tapas tour to sample some of the most delicious mouthfuls of the region and a visit to the local markets to buy fresh ingredients. Explore the Sherry Triangle, sample the seafood of Sanlucar de Barrameda, visit Cadiz - one of the oldest cities in the world - and soak up the culture in the evenings, sipping more Sherry and watching live flamenco.

Price: Departing 11 September 2014 from €1,499 per person based on two sharing, including four nights' accommodation, all meals, all drinks, transport and insider-guided visits with Annie B's Spanish Kitchen (www.anniebspain.com Tel 0034 620 560 649).

Flights and transfers are extra: Ryanair flies from Stansted to Jerez. 

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For further information please contact:

Julia Spence

Tel: +44 (0)1491 824524

Email: juliaspence.pr@gmail.com