Its reputation as the Christmas drink of the elderly is well-established. But the owners of Los Gatos are out to prove sherry is much more than just that. EMMA DUNN reports...

THE country’s favourite tapas bar will be celebrating International Sherry Week with a series of events starting on Sunday.

Los Gatos, in Wood Street, is hosting sherry tasting sessions, tapas with matched sherries and a quiz night with a glass of sherry for all players this week.

But the highlight will be a seven-course sherry tasting dinner on Wednesday with matched sherries introduced by sherry maker Javier Hidalgo, who is returning to the Old Town tapas bar for the eighth year in a row.

Phil Saunter, co-owner of Los Gatos, said: “We love sherry and it is, of course, typically Spanish. When we first opened in 2006, one of the first events we put on was a sherry tasting. We found when we opened people didn’t really know much about sherry apart from thinking it’s what Grandma drinks at Christmas.

“There’s a whole range of styles, we have 14 different sherries on our list. We probably have the biggest range of sherry out of anyone outside of London.

“There’s a whole range of different flavours. Part of the reason for doing a seven course dinner is to show how the different styles match different foods like a wine tasting.

“Javier Hidalgo is sherry royalty, we are incredibly lucky to have him here for the eighth year.”

Javier Hidalgo is the sixth generation head of one of the last family owned sherry bodegas in Spain.

The tapas bar’s events start on Sunday from 5.30pm until 10pm with ‘buy one, get one free’ on all Hidalgo Clasica sherries, or try a flight of five sherries for £15. There will also be live Flamenco guitar from Dave Nash.

On Tuesday is an event called A Taste of the Feria. This is a Rebujito night with Sevillana dancing by the staff. Join in if you can.

On Wednesday from 7pm is the seven course sherry tasting dinner with matched sherries introduced by Javier Hidalgo. Dinner will be preceded by cava and canapes. Tickets for this event, which will take place at Bistro Les Chats, are £75.

An informal tutored sherry tasting session will take place on Thursday at 6.30pm with Los Gatos’ very own Don Felipe. Advance tickets £25 from Los Gatos. There will be 10 per cent off tapas too.

On the busy weekend evenings of Friday and Saturday, there will be special Tapas del Dia with matched sherries included in the price.

And finally, on Sunday from 6.30pm test your knowledge of Spain and all things Spanish at their quiz night, which includes a prize for the winners. Tickets are £3, and includes a glass of sherry.

In 2013, Los Gatos was voted England's Favourite Tapas Venue in a competition run by Cervezas Alhambra.

International Sherry Week (www.isherryweek.com) was established in 2013 as an annual event to celebrate and promote the drinking of fine wines from Andalusia.

For tickets or for more information phone 01793 488450.