At Taste of Christmas Franc Arman’s Merlot 2008 from Croatia was a very popular red in the Tickler Cheese and Wine Masterclasses and if you are still undecided as to what to enjoy with your roast turkey then according to The Wine Tipster look no further. The Franc Arman Merlot 2008, Vrhunsko, abv 13.5%, £22.66 per bottle or £21.48 per bottle for a mixed case of 12 bottles is available from Croatian Fine Wines www.croatianfinewines.com . The Merlot vines are grown in Terra Rossa soil at the very top of the south side of the Mirna Valley in Istria, where the warm sea air from the Adriatic keeps the vines free from damp. The 2007 was Franc Arman’s first vintage  of Merlot, which was an impressive start, whilst his 2008 is excellent, with sweet fruits on the nose of plums, blackcurrants, blackberry, followed by spicy, herbaceous character with juicy damson and plum fruit on the palate. This full bodied well structured, yet smooth, silky red is an ideal match for your turkey roast.  Cheers!

The Wine Tipster presented at the UK launch of Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque Florale Edition at Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Bar last week.

Created by renowned floral Japanese artist, Makoto Azuma, Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque Florale Edition is the first Limited Edition of Perrier-Jouët’s Prestige Cuvee Belle Epoque, a reverential homage to Emile Galle’s 1902 Art Nouveau design.

The Belle Epoque vintage featured with Azuma’s elegant design is the beautiful, floral and expressive 2004, which is wonderful to enjoy now, yet has years of pleasure ahead.

If you would like to taste the Belle Epoque 2004, then try the specially created four course Florale Menu at Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Bar. For £85 for two, you can enjoy a glass of Belle Epoque 2004 each, with this carefully chosen menu to match with this fabulous champagne:

Chive and pansy dressed crab croustade

Hibiscus marinated salmon

Poilane melba, viola, almond and truffle crumble

Tea and lavender smoked duck breast

The Florale Menu is available exclusively at Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Bar until 16th December at £85 for two. Before you sit down for post shopping relaxation you can purchase Perrier-Jouët’s Belle Epoque Florale Edition, available exclusively at Harvey Nichols for £195.

The Appellation d’ Origine Contrôleé  (AOC) of Viré – Clessé is located in the northern part of the Mâconnais sub region, north of the town of  Mâcon in Burgundy.  Most of you are probably more familiar with Mâcon-Lugny or Mâcon-Charny, yet taste Albert  Bichot’s  Viré-Clessé 2010, Maison Albert Bichot, £13.65 or £12.97 when purchasing any 12 mixed bottles from The Oxford Wine Company or £13.65 from Cafe de la Post. This stunning white Burgundy made from 100% Chardonnay has everything with ripe citrus fruit, buttery richness, minerality, a pinch of crisp acidity and the lasting elegance of lemony and subtle tropical fruit on the finish.  The Wine Tipster will be having Bichot’s Viré-Clessé 2010 with our smoked salmon this Christmas. Enjoy!

The Wine Tipster saw Long Run beat the mighty Denman and Kauto Star to win The Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2011 (the most emotional reception I have witnessed at any racecourse for the first three, who were all winners) and yet this gutsy effort to beat two great champions took so much out of Long Run that he will never win a Gold Cup again in my opinion. It was hard to fancy him yesterday at the unfriendly odds of 11-8 to beat either Silviniaco Conti or The Giant Bolster in the Betfair Chase and whilst he managed to beat David

Bridgewater’s horse, Long Run couldn’t cope with the jumping display of the Nicholls’ trained Silviniaco Conti. Long Run is not a smooth jumper, yet his class still keeps him very competitive in races and in an open Cheltenham Gold Cup I will take some 8/1 each way on him finishing in the first three.

Was Nicky Henderson right to run Finian’s Rainbow in the extreme going? The horse never looked happy and you wonder if the winning pot had been smaller as to whether Finian’s Rainbow would have been pulled out. At Cheltenham the previous weekend the Henderson trained Spinning Sacre wasn’t risked because of the deteriorating ground conditions in the Sholer Chase and you do wonder whether Henderson should have done the same yesterday. Let’s hope the very talented Finian’s Rainbow puts in a winning performance in his next race.

Cheltenham Racecourse fully deserves its reputation as the centre of jump racing and The Open Meeting, November 15^th – 17^th proved this once again. Not only does Cheltenham provide quality racing to an appreciative crowd, there is also plenty to engage the racegoer before, during and after racing with the popular exhibitor village, including a range of clothing, jeweller, arts and the expanding Food Hall, which featured the high quality cheeses from Philip Stansfield at The Cornish Cheese Co and delicately flavoured meats from The Cotswold Curer.

Some horses to watch out for from The Open included the David Pipe trained Dynaste in the Steel Plate and Sections Novices Chase, who looked very accomplished and one to have in your selection at The Cheltenham Festival. Another Pipe horse, Ashkazar, who can be a tricky customer, was given a quiet ride by Timmy Murphy at the back of the race in the Henrietta Knight Handicap Chase before pulling up and I’ll be looking out for him next time he runs at Cheltenham. I would also like to see where Emma Lavelle goes next with Bouggler, who looked in excellent condition on returning after a lay off and wasn’t given a hard time once he weakened in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Hurdle.

At the London Jazz Festival The Wine Tipster ran a very successful Wine, Canapés and Jazz Matching session. The wonderful people who organise Choc Live in Charlbury have invited this ex punk rocker and devoted music fan to select eight wines to match a range of 45rpm and 33rpm vinyl selections brought along by the audience on Friday 30^th November at Charlbury Memorial Hall, start time 8pm (doors open 7.30pm)  www.chocfilms.info/  Tickets now available for £8  from:  Evenlode Books Tel: 01608 – 819117 or www.wegottickets.com/choc

Thank you to all the lovely people at The Discover a World of Difference Wines of Portugal Tasting at Oddbins London Bridge for their vinyl choices to match with some wonderful wines – including Filipa Pato’s FP 2011, Barriada, £11.50 and Quinta dos Roques 2009, Dao, £12.Names mentioned  were The Beach Boys, Jethro Tull and the theme tune to Jaws!

Richard Mayson is a top guy who has written five books on Portuguese wines and who recognised sometime ago the potential of the Alentejo region. In 2005 Richard rewarded his judgement and bought Quinta do Centro, located in Reguengo in the Portalegre sub region in the north-east of Alentejo, forming a new wine company Sonho Lusitano with the very influential Portuguese winemaker Rui Reguinga.

On Thursday evening The Wine Tipster presented a Discover a World of Difference Tasting at The Oxford Wine Company, Cirencester including Richard’s Pedra Basta 2009,  Alentejo, £14.49, a blend of Trincadeira, Tinto Roriz, Alicante Bouschet with less than 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in new and one year old French oak. The 2009 is a wonderful, complex, top flight Alentejo red with plums, damsons, vanilla and spice balanced by the trademark elegance of the wines from Sonho Lustiano. Drink 2012-2018 Stockists: The Oxford Wine Company Cirencester branch, Hanging Ditch Wines, The Wine Society.

You should also try Richard’s Pedro e Alma 2009, £24.60, a high class blend of Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Aragonez from 30 year old vines.  Stockist: WineBear.com

Last weekend The Wine Tipster was at The Hampstead Butcher and Providore , which is a Delicatessen, Charcuterie and Wine Merchant. The owner, Philip Matthews, has a fine selection of wines from Portugal, including Azamor Alentejo 2008, Alison and Joaquim Luiz-Gomes, £13.75, which like many Alentejo reds I have tasted recently has a good balance of delicious fruit, soft tannins and is friendly on the power front. Azamor is made from Syrah, the very important Alicante Bouschet, Merlot, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Petit Verdot, and is aged for 7 months in French and American oak.

Further north in the Douro ‘Liceiras’ Douro Red 2009, £15.95, is the second wine of Quinta da Romaneira and is made from a familiar quartet in the Douro of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinto Roriz and Tinto Cao, with 18 months in French oak. Liceiras pronounced ‘Lisseirash’ is one of the most elegant and delicate Douro reds that I have tasted, with blackcurrant, cherries, spice, soft tannins and an alluring freshness.  The gentle style of this red will suit fans of Fleurie, Morgon and other Beaujolais crus.

Earlier this week we had a fun and lively evening at the long established and very popular Bleeding Heart Bistro – there is also a restaurant and tavern. The Wine Tipster was presenting a selection of Portuguese wines with the theme of Discover a World of Difference, matched with excellent dishes from The Bleeding Heart. We kicked off with the creamy, fresh, dry Pato Frio Seleccao 2011 white Ribafreixo from Alentejo with probably the most popular dish of the evening Migas with Portuguese Chourico. With the next course the Bacalhau cut through the intensity of the Alvarinho 2009, Quinta de Pacos,Vinho Verde, followed by the match of the evening Quinto do Pinto 2009 Touiriga Nacional, Lisboa, with Grilled Sardines and Confit of Lemon Zest (pictured right).  Drinking red Vinho Verde was a new experience for many and Quinta da Raza’s 2011 Vinhão (grape variety) is full of delicious, intense fruit, low tannins and crisp acidity, served with Smoked Chaves -village in Trás- os-Montes Presunto Croquettes, whilst the Callabriga Alentejo 2009 blend of Alfrochiero, Alicante Bouchet and Aragonés was a definite crowd pleaser with pork rillettes with Apricot and Sage (pictured below). Travelling up to the Douro and Pôpa Old Vines 2008, which is a blend of 21 different varieties made by the charming and influential Luis Pato – check out their Tinto Roriz 2009 -A smooth, full bodied tinto low on assertive tannins, with plums, spice and flinty character. We finished an excellent evening with the stunning Sandeman 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Waitrose £35.49, served with Trás-on-Montes Terrincho Cheese.

Photos courtesy of Sam Lynas, Bleeding Heart Yard

The Wine Tipster discovered Negroamaro 2011, Feudi San Marzano, Marks & Spencer, £6.49 at the recent Marks & Spencer Press Tasting.  From Puglia in the far south east of Italy, Feudi San Marzano’s red is made from 100% Negroamaro by winemaker Filippo Baccalaro. This is a really good value full flavoured red, packed with chocolate, liquorice and plummy flavours, nicely balanced with no edges and a great match with pizza. Bring it on!

The Wine Tipster is looking forward to presenting at The Oxford Wine Company, Botley Road, Oxford on Tuesday 30th October at 6.30pm. Tickets are £10 and contact Lee on Tel: 01865 – 249500 or email: lee@oxfordwine.co.ukThis Wines of Portugal Tasting will be an exciting tour around some of the key regions in Portugal including: Vinho Verde, Dao, Beira Interior, Lisboa and the very exciting wines from Alentejo in the south of the country. You will have the opportunity to taste high quality whites and reds made from some of the wonderful indigenous varieties in Portugal.