Secret Sherry Society Debuts at the
Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival

Washington, D.C. - The Sherry Council of America announced today the launch of its new interactive marketing campaign to heighten consumer awareness to the growing popularity of Sherry wines in the U.S. The Secret Sherry Society (SSS) is a members-only club that will directly engage consumers, restaurateurs, sommeliers, wine retailers, and many others. By joining the guardians of wine's best-kept secret, consumers will become part of a "vast wine-drinking conspiracy" and gain access to "Secret Sherry locations" where they can taste the full range of Sherry styles from dry to sweet, stay current on society activities, and communicate with other members around the country.

The SSS will begin accepting members on February 19-22 at the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami, FL. At this event, clandestine society members wearing SSS buttons will extend invitations for membership in the most secretive of fashions (i.e. large signs with arrows leading participants to the society's tasting booth). In other parts of the country, society leaders will use an array of cutting-edge technology and innovative advertising tools to recruit more members. Those who frequent SSS-designated bars and restaurants may find a coded message in their cocktail napkin or one of several "Unmarked SSS Vans" cruising through their neighborhood. Prospective members are advised to just act natural and sign up through the Society's top-secret Web site, www.secretsherrysociety.com.

"We are very excited to officially launch the secret society everyone's talking about," said Marc Destito, Director of the Sherry Council of America. "The SSS will attract a whole new group of consumers eager to discover these unique wines that can only come from Jerez, Spain."

Authentic Sherry wines can only come from Jerez - a town in Spain's southern-most province of Andalucía. Jerez is Spain's oldest denominated winemaking region, only legally defined in 1933, but boasting 3,500 years of tradition that continues today. Elements unique to this tradition include Jerez's microclimate, experiencing 300 days of sunshine with stiff ocean winds, and the unique chalky, calcium-rich soil known as Albariza.

The Secret Sherry Society campaign was created by the Seattle-based independent agency, Creature. In conjunction with the Sherry Council of America, Creature is responsible for various components of the campaign, from Web site design to promotional materials to traditional and non-traditional advertising. "We developed the concept to target the culturally curious consumer and those who are willing to venture outside their comfort zone to try something new and exciting," said Robson Grieve, Creative Director of Creature. "We want to show a whole new generation of wine drinkers how much fun Sherry can be."

In addition to participating in the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, the SSS will also have an integral role at ¡Viva España!: the Festival's celebration of Spanish wines and food, hosted by Mario Batali and featuring Chef José Andrés on February 19th. Guests of Honor, their Majesties King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, will also be in attendance.

Sources say that members of the SSS may also make appearances at other top secret locations including the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, IL from May 16-19 and the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, CO June 19-21.

Sherry Council of America is the official U.S. representative of the Federación de Bodegas del Marco de Jerez (Fedejerez), the trade organization for all Sherry producers of the Jerez region of Spain. Based in Washington, D.C., the Council works to expand knowledge of the unique geographic characteristics, rich cultural traditions, and generations of winemaking expertise that are central to creating the distinctive range of flavors found in Sherry wines. The Council also works to raise awareness among U.S. policymakers, consumers, and other audiences about the importance of protecting the Sherry name. For more information, visit www.sherrycouncil.org