Croatia, Uruguay and Cheese.

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.