Taste of Christmas Press Safari Dinner

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!