Tio Pepe Challenge Belgian Finals 2022

How much did we miss this? For over two years, due to the corona-pandemic, there were just a few online cocktail competitions, leaving not much excitement for the audience. Finally, this week we attended our first live competition, the Belgian Finals of the Tio Pepe Challenge. 

Bartenders could enter their cocktail recipe for a first selection. The finalists were invited to compete at the Belgian Finals, hosted by Cinoco Spirits Headquarters in Nivelles. 

The judges for this edition: Boris Ivan (Gonzalez Byass), Stephan De Bolle (Cinoco) and Matthias Soberon (Cocktail- and spiritsblogger, last year’s winner of the competition)

The Tio Pepe Challenge is not your ordinary cocktail competition, because it has three rounds of testing the finalists for different skills: 

Round 1 – Blind Tasting (20pts, 5 pts for each sherry which is correct)

The finalists need to identify 4 Gonzalez Byass sherry’s in a blind tasting. 

Round 2 – Venencia skills (10pts for flair,10 pts for the amount of liquid in the glass)

The finalists need to show their talent for handling the venencia, a traditional tool that is used to sample sherry from the casks. 

Round 3 – Create a sherry cocktail (60pts)

The finalist mixes a sherry cocktail and shares the story of this drink. 

All three rounds took place last Monday and these were the finalists that were selected to compete: 

1. Bjorn Dewulf (Rocktailz)
2. Alex De Backer (Belroy’s MAS, Antwerp)
3. Donald Simons (Black Smoke, Antwerp)
4. Lize Rombaut (Bar Ran, Bruges)
5. Jorijn Vandenweghe (Rocktailz)
6. Jules Verlinden (De Nieuwe Haan, Diest)
7. Clarisse Herbinaux (L’Antidote, Namur)
8. Mathias Schaffer (Bar Ran, Bruges)
9. Joeri Visser (Belroy’s Bijou, Antwerp)

We gathered around lunchtime at the brand new and very impressive bottle-shaped building of Cinoco Spirits in Nivelles. After a quick lunch, we went for a tour of the massive warehouse. Next, the finalists sat down in the meeting room for the first round of the competition. The four Gonzalez Byass sherry variations they had to (blind!) identify were: 

• Nectar (PX)
• Tio Pepe (Palomino fino)
• Cristina (Medium)
• Alfonso (Oloroso)

I think the fino and PX were pretty obvious as they are the far-left (most dry) and far-right (most sweet) of the Gonzalez Byass “standard” sherry range. The medium and oloroso are both in the middle of the range and have more or less the same colour. Sherry enthusiasts should however know that Cristina is a bit sweeter because it contains some PX. There was no amontillado, cream or Palo Cortado sherry in the blind line-up. 

While the judges were grading this first round, the finalists could have some practice with the venencia-tool. Next, under the burning sun on the patio, the finalists demonstrated their skills in round 2. For this round, two extra prices were up for a win. Clarisse Herbinaux won the “First Lady” bottle, Jules Verlinden won the “First Man” bottle. Both bottles were variations of Mom Gin.

Back to the “battle room” for the third and last round. Each finalist had the opportunity to present his or her sherry cocktail, spiced with a matching story, dazzling us with their bartending skills.

After tough deliberation, the judges returned with the ranking. I’ll share the ranking of the final podium, together with the recipe for their cocktails: 

Third: Donald Simons, head bartender at Black Smoke (Antwerp)

Cocktail: Pepelona

5 cl Tio Pepe Fino Muy Seco
3cl Pineapple cordial
12 cl clarified burned grapefruit soda
pinch of nutmeg

Second: Mathias Schaffer, bartender at Bar Ran (Bruges)

Cocktail: God Highball

35ml Noé Pedro Ximenez VORS
15ml Tio Pepe Palomino Fino
30ml Verjus
5ml Manzanilla Olive Brine
Top POMM. Appelchampagne

Winner: Joeri Visser, bartender at Belroy’s Cocktailbars (Antwerp)

Cocktail: Golden Cortès

50ml Amontillado González Byass
30ml gin infused with cacao
10ml Amaro Montenegro 
20ml basil cordial
15ml aquafaba

Joeri Visser is the winner of the Belgian Finals and will soon be representing our country at the Tio Pepe Challenge Global finals in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. He received a brand new suitcase to pack for the trip.

All finalists got Tio Pepe magnums and a goody bag, The podium finalists also received additional cases of top quality cava. 

Big “thank you” to all finalists, judges, supporters, Gonzalez Byass and the Cinoco team for hosting this competition. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Sherryweek 2020 : Tio Pepe

Two years ago I was invited at the González Byass bodega in Jerez to participate in #Sherrymaster2018, together with a group of wine-professionals. (Art1) (Art2)

During that week in the south of Spain we learned all the basics of sherry, while we could taste and experience it on the spot. We learned about the grapes in the middle of the vineyard, we learned about the casks in the dark warehouse. And we tasted lots of sherry, even straight from the Solera-casks.

This week is #sherryweek and since I was asked to share a few posts promoting this week, I’m trying to recollect some of the things I have learned during that unforgettable week in the sherry-region of Andalucía. This week I’ll be posting about delicious sherry wines, tasty cocktails made with a wide range of sherry wines, from the cork-dry Palomino Fino to the decadent and very sweet Pedro Ximénez. And last but not least I’ll also share a few great foodpairings. 

We will taste this beautiful range by González Byass : 

• Tio Pepe Fino Dry
• Cristina Medium Jerez-Xerez
• Vina AB Amontillado
• Alfonso Oloroso 
• Solera 1847 Cream
• Leonor Palo Cortado
• Nectar Pedro Ximénez

Next to this ‘normal’ range we will also take a sip from these more exclusive beauty’s : 

• Fino En Rama 2019
• Fino Una Palma
• Del Duque Amontillado VORS

We kick off #Sherryweek with a very easy aperitif, based on the flagship sherry of González Byass: Tio Pépe. This is the driest sherry in the normal range, made from 100% Palomino Fino grapes. Aged 4 to 5 years in American oak, following the traditional Solera system. For me this is the bottle that displays the most terroir. The grapes are grown on the typical Albarizo soil of Jerez, a white soil that contains 60% chalk, which is why it can hold moisture very well. I can still remember the white powder on our shoes after visiting the vineyards. Jerez has a warm micro climate and long hot summers with dry and hot winds blowing up from Africa. 

The grapes used for Tio Pepe are handpicked and transported to the production plant in small 15 Kg crates. Only the ‘first press’ of the grapes is used for Tio Pepe. Following fermentation to 11 to 12% alcohol, the wine is fortified to 15,5% alcohol. In the casks an empty space of 100 liters is always left for the yeast to grow it’s typical flor (a yeasty foam layer on top of the wine) and interact with the oxygen. This is what gives the sherry it’s unique nutty aroma and character. The wine remains “under the flor” for at least 4 years in a Solera system.  

There are two different production methods for sherry : Biological ageing and aging by oxidation. Biological aging means the flor will protect the sherry during maturation. “By oxidation” means we let the sherry interact with the oxygen, which normally would ruin the wine. In this controlled production method they let the wine age long enough so it develops into a new kind of balanced sherry. Oloroso is a good example of the oxidation method. But we start this series with Fino which is biologically aged sherry, protected by the flor layer during the entire process. It’s a taste you might need to get used to, because you really can’t compare it with anything else. Mixing it with tonic can lower the threshold.

All wines in this week’s series are produced by González Byass, one of the most important sherry producers in the world. Founded in 1835 and still in the hands of the González family. The head office is the bodega in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia. 

Pepe Tonic 

Ingredients
70 ml Tio Pepe (Fino sherry)
200 ml San Pelegrino Tonic
2 drops of Angostura bitters

Method
Fill a longdrink with icecubes. Add the sherry and bitters. Top with tonic. Give it just one gentle stir. Garnish with lemon cuts. 

Tip:
Fino sherry is a perfect aperitif. I think I like the smell of fino even more than the taste. It‘s also an excellent companion for tapas. Works very well with nuts, olives and Jamon Iberico. Can also be served with seafood, fish, sushi or sashimi. I have tried adding a little bit of fino to a raw oyster… Absolutely delicious.  

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Scallywag - The Stray Dog goes to Italy

 

It’s hot, I would love to be in Italy right now and I really love this Douglas Laing Speyside malt blend. That’s three excuses to mix up one more cocktail based on Scallywag 😉

This whisky has a very recognizable flavour from the sherry casks and I just want to enhance this a little bit more. Some people add a tiny bit of tonic to Negroni-style drinks to take the sharp edge off the bitterness. I did the same with some dry fino sherry. The result is a Boulevardier with a nice sherry-touch.

The Stray Dog goes to Italy

Ingredients
30 ml Campari
45 ml Scallywag Blended Malt Whisky
30 ml Cinzano sweet vermouth
10 ml Tio Pepe Fino sherry

Method
Stir everything together in a large mixglass with lots of ice. Strain into a tumbler with a big block of ice. Add a piece of orange (fresh or dried). Salute !

Tip
I paired this tasty cocktail with a piece of ‘Doré de Lathuy’ Bio-cheese. This is cheese from the Ardennes, made from raw cow milk. This pairing was suggested by cheese master Peter Verbruggen. 

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.