Welcome to the New Year, which promises to be a very exciting year for racing, vino and foodie fans. Let’s start off 2012 with racing, following the brilliance of Kauto Star on Boxing Day who out jumped Long Run to become the first (and probably last horse) to win the King George VI chase five times we are all looking ahead to The Gold Cup. In 2011, King Kauto was more of an each way bet at 7-1, for the year ahead, he is now 4-1, because of his King George VI and Betfair Chase performances to achieve an incredible third Gold Cup win at Cheltenham in March. Initially, my post King George reaction was that Long Run deserves the favourite’s spot and will out stay Kauto up the Cheltenham hill, however now on further consideration, I feel that the mighty equine cocktail of winning the King George and Gold Cup as a 6 year old has taken something out of Long Run, which is hampering him versus a rejuvenated Kauto. It was also clear in the King George pre-race interview on Channel 4 that Long Run’s trainer Nicky Henderson thought he had his horse spot on, whilst Nick Luck from RUKTV thought post-race that Henderson’s horse had run up to his mark. Long Run may not win on 16th March but he will finish in the first three with Kauto. Who will join these two championship horses in the first three? Despite the major thumbs down from Channel 4’s Morning Line team that Grands Crus should avoid the Gold Cup and be directed at the Royal Sun Alliance Chase – for which he is 5-2 favourite – I think he has a tremendous chance in the Gold Cup. I don’t normally approve of horses being aimed at championship races without the experience, however Grands Crus jumps smoothly, clearly travels well in his races, has some dash, likes Cheltenham and recorded a time three seconds faster than Kauto over the same distance at Kempton on Boxing Day. If the ground isn’t on the fast side then Grands Crus has a tremendous chance of joining Kauto and Long Run on the podium. As a final point, The Wine Tipster has not selected Grands Crus because of the name!The Wine Tipster took Cheltenham Gold Cup Kauto Star 4-1 win, Grands Crus each way 10-1 before Christmas with Grands Crus now at 7-1. Long Run remains 9-4 favourite and I have had a small wager on these three horses taking the first three places in any order.

The Dao region in Portugal is producing some top wines including Quinta do Corujao Reserva 2007, £14.99, Ince Wines, a powerful, meaty red, packed with fruit flavours and herbaceous character, whilst further south in the Alentejo, Susana Esteban, winemaker at Solar dos Lobos, continues to really impress, with the delicious, weighty, concentrated and elegant Solar dos Lobos Grande Escolha, 2008, £30.00, Ince Wines. In Mendoza, Argentina, Clos de los Siete’s 2009, £12.99, Majestic, who have the 2008, is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, a super-refined, complex red with intense blackberry fruit.The John X Merriman 2008, Rustenberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa, £12.49-£13.99,, Majestic, Waitrose is the wine I featured in Every Wine Tells A Story 2011, £8.99 www.lulu.com.This medium-full bodied Bordeaux blend offers great value for a well structured red from a high class producer. Look out for the 2009, which is in some stores now. In June this year, The Wine Tipster chaired the Best in Taste Wine Awards and will be doing so again in June 2012. The shortlisted Chambolle-Musigny Ier Cru Les Charmes, Domaine Roux 2008, France, £28.00, Bibendum, demonstrated the elegant qualities of a fine wine from this vintage. From Beaujolais you can still purchase 2009s crus from all the villages but be quick. Brouilly, Henry Fessy 2009, £10.99, Waitrose, is a terrific example of why there is rekindled interest in Beaujolais.The Imperial Reserva 2005, Cune, Rioja, Spain, £14.99, Slurp.co.uk, is a classic traditional Rioja from one of the top producers. Great stuff. For more regular drinking choices then Pasico Old Vine Monastrell Shiraz 2010, Jumilla, Spain, £5.99,Sainsbury’s, is lovely winter drinking, with damson fruit, chocolate and spice, whilst Tesco’s Finest Douro 2010, Portugal,on offer at £28.50 per case, Tesco Wines by the Case really delivers good fruit, weight and importantly soft tannins. Make sure you pour this wine into a glass jug a couple of hours beforehand. Happy New Year.

Here are some wines that are on offer now until the New Year that are certainly worth taking advantage of. For reds, pop in to Waitrose for some crowd pleasing La Piuma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2010, Italy, £5.99-£4.79 or if you are looking for some quality Rioja to enjoy with some hard cheese like Waitrose West Country Farmhouse Cheddar made by Denhay then Beronia Rioja Reserva 2006,Spain, £12.99-£9.99, Waitrose will do the job. There is no doubt that Beronia has been an upward path for several vintages and has returned to form. Before the Boxing Day Kempton Park racing kicks off The Wine Tipster will be enjoying with the cold turkey some Beaujolais Villages, Domaine des Nugues 2009, Beaujolais, France, £9.99, buy 2 bottles save £4, Majestic. Whites to be enjoyed over Christmas include the delicious, oaked Rioja Taste the Difference Vinedos Barrihuelo 2010, £8.99 – £5.99, Sainsbury’s, with the smoked salmon go forSauvignon de Touraine Thierry Delaunay 2010, Loire, France, £7.99 buy 2 bottles save £1, Majestic and Macon Villages ‘Les Pierres’ Blanches Cave de Lugny 2010, £7.99 buy 2 bottles save £2, Majestic to have some delicious, quaffable, soft Burgundy for the Xmas period. For further relaxation enjoy Taylor’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005, £13.29-£10.29, Waitrose with the Stilton. Have a great Christmas and New Year and watch Kauto Star on Boxing Day attempt to win the King George VI chase for a record 5th time.

Had great fun today with Bill Buckley on his BBC Radio Oxford show. Bill and I worked together on the LBC Food Programme so it was great to link up again. Every Wine Tells a Story 2011 by Tara Devon O’Leary, £8.99, www.lulu.com and to use Tara’s blurb: ‘is a collection of the memorable, provocative and emotive wines as experienced by 39 international wine lovers’. My contribution focussed on the emotive element, featuring the late John Merriman, a man I greatly admired and respected, who died in April this year. The Rustenberg John X Merriman 2009 blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, South Africa,is full bodied with cigar box notes, accessible blackberry and damson fruit flavours, certainly the wine you need for the roasted turkey with all the trimmings. Stockist: Majestic at £13.99, buy two bottles down to £9.99.
The rest of my Christmas case on the show, included the lovely crisp, dry, citrus, well structured Champagne G.H.Mumm Cordon Rouge NV Brut, £25.99. Stockists: Sainsbury, Tesco, with Waitrose running a 20% off promotion. My two party suggestions were first, the floral, fruity, dry, 12% abv locally produced Brightwell Bacchus 2009,www.brightwellvineyard.co.uk, Waitrose, £9.49, with the Oxford Wine Company stocking most of the Brightwell range. Secondly, made from the Cortese grape, the dry, perfumed, grapey, 12% abv, Gavi Taste the Difference 2010, £8.29, Sainsbury’s, will more than do the job as a crowd pleaser. One of my party reds and a match with cold turkey on Boxing Day is Henry Fessy’s Brouilly 2010, Waitrose, £10.99 or as a party alternative not mentioned on the show today Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2010, £6.97, Asda. Again not featured today, however if you are looking to treat yourself with a couple of class act whites to enjoy with fish and fish in cream sauces over Christams and New Year then Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2007,Union des Viticulteurs de Chablis, £18.00, Marks & Spencer and Fattoria Michi’s Montecarlo Bianco 2010, £15.75,www.clubviniitalini.com a delicious, refined blend of Trebbiano, Rousanne, Sauvignon and Vermentino, is one of my wines of 2011. Remember for your Stilton or Christmas Cake, Sandeman Imperial Tawny Port, Stevens Garnier, Waitrose, £10.25. A premium, nutty, almond, smooth port, which can, once opened, last a month at least in the right conditions. Enjoy!

The Taste of Christmas Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars were a huge success last weekend, with all 21 workshops oversubscribed. The Wine Tipster would like to thank the cheesemakers, wine importers and most of all the fun, lively audiences for making this a great show. Aside from deciding on some wine choices for Christmas, I selected my cheese board of three: Philip Stansfield’s 2010 World Champion Cheese Cornish Blue, Denhay’s delicious Waitrose West Country Farmhouse Cheddar and Butlers’ Tasty Lancashire Cheese, available in Tesco. On the vino front, Cattunar’s Chardonnay 2009, Croatia, £18.00, is a medium bodied, super fresh, stylish white with ripe fruit flavours of limes, peaches with vanilla hints backed by crisp acidity. Stockist: Pacta Connect www.pactaconnect.co.uk. Chat-en-Oeuf impressed with their Languedoc Roussillon wines, including Chat-en-Oeuf Rose 2010, £5.99, a well priced Syrah and Grenache blend, with soft, ripe red fruits, attractive spice, which makes a surprising match with hard cheddar. Stockists: Waitrose, Morrisons. Tasting wines from Uruguay was a new and popular experience for some, with Juanico’s dry, golden coloured, vanilla, peachy, and barrel fermented Bodegones del Sur Viognier Reserve 2009, £9, winning plaudits, whilst the full bodied, barrel fermented Tannat Libero 2010, De Lucca, £12, packed with flavours of plums, liquorice, chocolate introduced many to Tannat. Stockist: www.winesofuruguay.co.uk.The Quinta da Fata Touriga Nacional 2009,Dao, Portugal, £17,is a quite delicious, full bodied, flag bearer for 100% Touriga Nacional, herbaceous, spice, brambly character, deep damson fruit and a fine match for a full flavoured hard cheddar or game over Christmas. Stockist: www.incewines.co.uk. Staying in Portugal, The Taylor’s Port Sessions introduced many to tawny and single quinta ports and if you are looking for Xmas indulgence with stilton or simply to enjoy a high quality port then Taylor’s stunning, refined single quinta Quinta de Vargellas 2001, £26.99-£31.99, does the job. Stockists: Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges, Majestic, Tesco, Waitrose.

The Wine Tipster will be presenting The Taste of Christmas Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars with Jeremy Bowen from Paxton and Whitfield Friday 2nd-4th December. The Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars will be every 30 minutes starting at 11am and finishing at 5.30pm. Daily “Taste of Christmas and Taylor’s Port” sessions will feature a selection of excellent cheeses and four Ports from Taylors, including the refined Quinta de Vargellas 2001. Also, staying in Portugal, Ince Wines have selected the Castras De Melgaco Alvarinho 2010 and the 100% Touriga Nacional Quinta Da Fata 2009 which are real favourites of mine for the “Cheese and a Taste of Portugal” seminars. Chat-en-Oeuf’s good value wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon are featured in “The Cheese and Winemakers Art” masterclasses each day. Pacta Connect Wines are specialists in Wines from Croatia, with their limited edition Roxanich SuperIstran 2007 and Clai Ottocento red 2009 to be included as part of the seminars. Moving away from Europe, I’m looking forward to featuring the Marchial Pinot Noir/Tannat Reserve 2008 and Bodegones del Sur Viognier Reserve 2009 from Wines of Uruguay.
With some excellent cheeses, wines and Ports there is no reason not to join us at The Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars. See you there!

Thanks to friends and francophiles Jean Adams and Richard Cocks for setting up a 2009 tasting on Friday night for a few mates. The 2009 theme stemmed from a discussion Richard and I had in between saxophone solos at a local jazz gig regarding our enthusiasm for Beaujolais and this particular vintage, which has been described as the best in living memory. Jean and Richard as regular visitors to France decided to include 2009 wines from other regions and producers they had called upon, however the stars were the Chiroubles. Eric Morin’s Chiroubles Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 2009 made from 50 year old vines and older was initially quite firm, then relaxed with appealing fruity and herbaceous character. Definitely a style I’d like to cellar for 2-3 years. Chiroubles La Precieuse 2009, Emile Cheysson was more forward with delicate red fruit flavours,lovely drinking now, although will keep 2-3 years. The 2009 Beaujolais vintage has recaptured my enthusiasm for this region and with a good 2010 vintage in the market there is plenty to enjoy ahead. Unfortunately neither Eric Morin’s or Emile Cheysson’s Chiroubles are available in the UK so if you are looking for the ideal match with your cold Boxing Day turkey or to have a crowd pleasing red for Christmas then buy the always reliable Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles 2009, £9.99, Waitrose. Some of the Waitrose stores will have moved to 2010 but definitely worth asking if they have any 2009 available.
Thank you Jean and Richard for an excellent vino and foodie evening, including a stunning artichoke amuse bouche with truffle oil made by Jean from a Daylesford Cookery School recipe.

The Taste of Christmas Press Safari Dinner equals one course at each restaurant with a wine match selected by The Wine Tipster. First up, Asia de Cuba in The St Martins Lane Hotel for their Asia de Cuba Tunapica, a delicious, fresh tuna starter which included black currants, olives, almonds and coconut, matched with Quinta da Sequeira Rabigato 2010, Douro, Portugal www.incewines.co.uk Rabigato was disappearing as a grape varietal in the Douro because of low yields, however winemakers are thankfully returning to Rabigato with Quinta da Sequiera producing an impressive mid- weight, fresh, creamy, crisp white. At Roast, Chapel Down’s Bacchus Reserve 2009 (especially made for Roast) had grassy, subtle Sauvignon Blanc character, with elderflower, real intensity and balance. A fine piece of winemaking, proving what Bacchus can do in this country at a friendly 12% abv. Roast’s signature slow cooked pork belly was outstanding. Dessert at The Cinnamon Club was a delicately flavoured, light, not overly sweet Christmas pudding with garam masala and thandai custard, enjoyed with the honeyed, high quality late harvest Chenin Blanc Vignoble Gelineau Coteaux du Layon 2009, Loire, France www.griffinwell.com. Cheese was still to come from Paxton and Whitfield with Chat-en-Oeuf’s 2010 £5.99 well priced Grenache and Syrah blend followed by Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas 2001, Douro. Vargellas is a refined single-Quinta port that will certainly be in my Christmas shopping basket. Stockists: Majestic, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Tesco and Waitrose £26.99 – £31.99.
Asia de Cuba, Roast and The Cinnamon Club will all be featuring these dishes at Taste of Christmas 2nd-4th December at Excel, and the stellar double act of Jeremy Bowen, Paxton and Whitfield and The Wine Tipster will be presenting The Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars. Come and join us!

The Taste of Christmas Press Safari Dinner equals one course at each restaurant with a wine match selected by The Wine Tipster. First up, Asia de Cuba in The St Martins Lane Hotel for their Asia de Cuba Tunapica, a delicious, fresh tuna starter which included black currants, olives, almonds and coconut, matched with Quinta da Sequeira Rabigato 2010, Douro, Portugal www.incewines.co.uk Rabigato was disappearing as a grape varietal in the Douro because of low yields, however winemakers are thankfully returning to Rabigato with Quinta da Sequiera producing an impressive mid- weight, fresh, creamy, crisp white. At Roast, Chapel Down’s Bacchus Reserve 2009 (especially made for Roast) had grassy, subtle Sauvignon Blanc character, with elderflower, real intensity and balance. A fine piece of winemaking, proving what Bacchus can do in this country at a friendly 12% abv. Roast’s signature slow cooked pork belly was outstanding. Dessert at The Cinnamon Club was a delicately flavoured, light, not overly sweet Christmas pudding with garam masala and thandai custard, enjoyed with the honeyed, high quality late harvest Chenin Blanc Vignoble Gelineau Coteaux du Layon 2009, Loire, France www.griffinwell.com. Cheese was still to come from Paxton and Whitfield with Chat-en-Oeuf’s 2010 £5.99 well priced Grenache and Syrah blend followed by Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas 2001, Douro. Vargellas is a refined single-Quinta port that will certainly be in my Christmas shopping basket. Stockists: Majestic, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Tesco and Waitrose £26.99 – £31.99.
Asia de Cuba, Roast and The Cinnamon Club will all be featuring these dishes at Taste of Christmas 2nd-4th December at Excel, and the stellar double act of Jeremy Bowen, Paxton and Whitfield and The Wine Tipster will be presenting The Ryvita Cheese and Wine Seminars. Come and join us!

Yesterday The Wine Tipster was to be found at The Boisdale in Canary Wharf for The Boisdale & Wright Brothers Oyster Tasting Championship 2011. The judges including Tom Parker-Bowles, Bill Knott, Henry Deedes, Douglas Blyde and Richard Harden had 13 oysters to taste, which were split into 5 Native – have the best flavour in the cooler months with the letter ‘R’ in them – and 8 Pacific – breed differently and can be tasted all year. When you taste oysters you are encouraged to chew and let air over the oyster as you would for a wine. There were of course really distinct differences in the tasting, with the judges awarding Loch Ryan from south west Scotland first prize in the Native and Dorset Brownsea Island, Poole winning the Pacific.
A high quality Boisdale lunch included an excellent game consommé followed by a cutlet of feral partridge, seared foie gras, liquorice and creamy savoy cabbage. During lunch there were some lovely champagnes served from G.H. Mumm including Mumm de Cramant and a very good 2005 claret Chateau Rahoul, Graves.
It is worth noting that Oyster production in the UK has increased by 45% in the last two years so support this industry and next time I taste oysters I will be chewing.