White Tie, Top Gear and Waitrose.

I am the UK Champagne Ambassador for Champagne G.H.Mumm, who hold the prestigious Royal Warrant to supply HM The Queen, HRH Duke of Edinburgh or HRH Prince of Wales. There are around 850 companies that hold The Royal Warrant and this covers a diverse range of trade and industry. These include: Paxton & Whitfield, Fortnum & Mason , Bendicks of Mayfair and Musk’s really tasty Newmarket sausages.
On Thursday, The Royal Warrant Holders Association held their Annual Banquet at The Grosvenor this week and this was a rare opportunity to wear my white tie outfit.
Yesterday, in contrast, I received some VIP treatment at Top Gear Live, with Clarkson & Co’s high on repartee and backed by some brilliant stunt driving.
Today, I’m off to Waitrose to take advantage of their 25% off all wines and champagnes until the 10th November. Fill up your case with the following: Tagus Creek Fernao Pires/Arinto 2009, Portugal, £5.99 on offer at £4.49, has the floral, peachy character of Fernao Pires combining with the citrus, crisp influence of the talented Arinto varietal. Astrolabe Discovery Sauvignon Blanc 2009, New Zealand, £14.99, down to £11.25, is one of the best Kiwi whites I have tasted. Made solely from fruit from the Awatere region, this is spicy, grassy, full flavoured, balanced with subtlety and style. For the autumnal rose drinkers amongst you, Esprit de Bugany 2009, France, £8.49 down to £6.37, is a feel good elegant, fruity, dry Cotes de Provence pink. If, like me, you are cooking pasta tonight then enjoy with La Piuma Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo 2008, Italy, £6.49 on offer at £4.87; medium bodied red, with damson fruit character and made from the underrated Montepulciano grape.Rustenberg John X Merriman 2007, South Africa, £11.49, down to £8.62, from this class act producer, who delivers quality vintage after vintage, intensely fruity and complex, well structured reds. Decant a couple of hours beforehand to really savour all those flavours. Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva 2005, Spain, £20.99 on offer at £15.74, is top of the table Rioja from a Champions’ League winning vintage. Muga, is a producer who make wines with good weight of fruit, richness and well judged oak influence. Will keep for another 8-10 years.