Included in the events is a tasting and book signing at E&R Wine Shop on Saturday the 16th, from 1:00-3:30pm. Peter will be there signing books and talking about sherry, and Jan Pettersen of Fernando de Castilla and Jaime Gil of Valdespino will also be there to pour their wines.

Also on Saturday, Peter will be at the Taste of Andalucía event at Bar Vivant, from 4:00-7:00pm. Nearly 40 sherries will be open for tasting, accompanied by tapas, and the event will feature flamenco performances by Laura Onizuka and partners.

A complete list of Sherryfest West events can be found at sherryfest.com.

There are five drink books and seven food books among the finalists this year, and the winners will be announced in London on 14 March, 2013. Many congratulations to all of the other authors and publishers on the shortlist!

The Shortlist for the 2012 André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards

Drink Books

Brunello di Montalcino by Kerin O’Keefe, published by University of California Press

How to Love Wine by Eric Asimov, published by William Morrow

Pomerol by Neal Martin, published by Wine-Journal Publishing

Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla by Peter Liem & Jesús Barquín, published by Manutius

Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding & Dr. José Voulliamoz, published by Penguin Books

Food Books

Annie Bell’s Baking Bible by Annie Bell, published by Kyle Books

Edible Selby by Todd Selby, published by Abrams

Following Fish by Samanth Subramanian, published by Atlantic Books

Hoosh by Jason C. Anthony, published by University of Nebraska Press

Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi, published by Ebury Books

Polpo by Russell Norman, published by Bloomsbury Books

Sud de France by Caroline Conran, published by Prospect Books

The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert, published by Bloomsbury Books

He writes:

Together, they have produced a readable survey of the history, methods and styles of the region and the challenges and opportunities it faces, along with exceedingly useful critical profiles of the leading bodegas of sherry and Montilla.

All of this would be enough to justify “Sherry,” but the book goes further. In a lucid, understated, wry and subtly subversive manner, “Sherry” questions much of the conventional wisdom about how the wines are made and how it should best be consumed. In this way, it functions not only as an excellent summation of what has been, but also as a wise and hopeful vision of what can be.

Read the full article here.

“It’s hard to imagine more skilled guides on the topic than Liem, an expert writer on the region (and Chronicle contributor) and Barquín, whose Equipo Navazos project curates the hidden gems in Jerez’s solera.

This, too, is studious stuff—metabolic activity of flor, anyone?—but it also details a world of Sherry largely unknown even to experts. One chapter, “The Terroir of the Bodega,” might be the best explanation yet on how location and architecture are an essential part of making Sherry. If most wine books now tout populism, “Sherry” skillfully makes the case for deep expertise. It is an invaluable read for anyone who has loved Sherry in a serious way.”

Click here to read the full article.

Here is the Table of Contents: