Safari Lunch One and Black Cab Tasting.

The Wine Tipster is The Food and Wine Expert for Taste of Christmas and this week we had our press Safari lunch launches and black cab tastings.
The Safari Lunch works as follows: Four of the participating restaurants at Taste of Christmas create a dish for which The Wine Tipster then provides a wine match from wine producers to be featured at the show. The dishes feature a starter, two main courses and a dessert. Then on the day itself, the journalists had the enviable task of visiting each of the restaurants to taste the gourmet delights on offer, hear from The Wine Tipster about his food and wine match and enjoy the wine. Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday lunch time!
First up was Amico Bio, an Italian vegetarian restaurant in Smithfield. We kicked off with a salad starter of organic spinach, apple, grand padano with a very tasty apple dressing. This was matched with McGuigan’s Classic Semillon Blanc 2010, Australia, Tesco, £6.99, a refreshing take on Semillon, which is light, citrus, oily, with crisp acidity to match with the apple dressing. A light 11.5% white.
A short stroll around the corner took us to the renowned Club Gascon and a beautifully presented dish of Christmas Stuffed Capon, pumpkin and mango puree. Errazuriz Chardonnay Wild Ferment 2009, Chile, £9.99, Co-op, Majestic, had the structure to go with the capon, with nicely balanced fruit flavours, subtle oak and an earthy character, which matched with the mushrooms in the Stuffed Capon.
The Modern Pantry already has a popular fan club, with their Vietnamese style Duke of Berkshire pork belly, mash, pickled beansprouts, and crisp shallots increasing the membership. Maori Point Pinot Noir 2008, New Zealand, £15.00, Pure Noir UK, is a delicious, Central Otago, fruit driven, spicy, red with soft tannins, which really worked with the pork and spicy elements of this dish.
Three impressive desserts were served at The Malmaison in EC1, – who with their sister range of Hotel du Vin Hotels are a group who continue to deliver quality and stylish food – with the Chiatina, Pometti, 2008, Italy, £32.45 per 50cl, Grossi Wines, made in Tuscany from Sangiovese, infused with pomegranate juice and fortified. Easy drinking with fresh flavours, cherries and subtle hints of pomegranate. This makes an original match with desserts, Stilton and Parmigiano.

Black Cab Wine Tasting.
As a wine pundit, I had never tutored a wine tasting in the back of a black cab but I have now! My fellow passengers did a great job of keeping their wine in the glass and not on the cabbie’s floor. A wine with an interesting background was required for such a ride and Chateau D’Angles La Clape Classique 2008, France, £10.99, Essentially Wine, provided the story. This Bourboulenc, Grenache, Marsanne and Rousanne blend from the appellation of La Clape in the south of France is medium bodied, creamy, with ripe peach flavours, mineral character and the weight to match up to grilled fish or chicken.