Still a few days to go and here are a few tips for Christmas.
Percheron Werner Sauvignon Blanc Fair Trade 2010, South Africa, £9.99. Stockist: Virgin Wines. Dry, easy drinking, fresh, crowd pleasing white, with nicely balanced, Kiwi style Sauvignon Blanc character.
Schug Carneros Chardonnay 2008, California, USA, £16.00 or online £96.00 6 x 75cl case.Stockist: Marks and Spencer. Schug Carneros’ Sonoma County classy Chardonnay is fermented in oak barrels, has enticing rounded, intense buttery, biscuity flavours, with the structure and weight of fruit to match with grilled fish, fish in cream sauce and poultry.
Rose is an all year tipple for many of us and so enjoy this excellent, fruity, dry, 10.5% abv, Pinot Noir from Gloucestershire: Three Choirs Premium Selection Rose 2009, England. Stockist: Waitrose.
Terre Del Nobile “Plantino” Syrah 2009, Italy, £7.99. Stockist: Virgin Wines. Medium bodied red made in the region of Lazio; with attractive cherry and berry fruit flavours, soft tannins and a nice kick of acidity.
Little Beauty Pinot Noir 2009, New Zealand, £95.94 6 x 75cl case. Stockist: Little Beauty. Super impressive, limited production Pinot Noir from the Waihopai Valley in Marlborough, which combines complex red and dark fruit flavours, spice and good structure. Bring on the turkey.
The Yard Acacia Shiraz Larry Cherubino, Western Australia, £18.95. Stockist: Slurp.co.uk. Balanced, refined, spicy, herbaceous,damson, full bodied, class act red that kicks other higher priced Shirazes into the outback. Great with roast turkey, game and hard chesses.
Sandeman Imperial Tawny Port, Portugal, £9.95. Stockist: Waitrose.
This subtle, tangy flavoured and smooth tasting port is the perfect way to finish your Christmas Lunch.

Back yesterday from being the moderator/MC at the first ever WOPIC Wines of Portugal International Conference. A very well organised event, with 400 attendees from all over the globe. The conference included a wine fair, stacked with key producers from Portugal and a range of quality seminars, trips and excellent side show tastings. One of the main themes was The Selection of the Top 10 Touriga Nacionals, with a stellar cast of international wine journalists in the judging panel including Jancis Robinson, Neal Martin, Ned Goodwin, Tom Marthinsen, Guilherme Rodrigues. The plush Yeatman Hotel laid on an excellent and top class tasting room, overlooking the center of Porto, for the final 10 to be chosen from 30 wines (down from 80 originally selected). There were three wines with the same score, so the Top 10 became a Top 12 announced at The Gala Dinner in the beautiful Palacio da Bolsa.
Here are the Top 12:
Alentejo
Alfarez Touriga Nacional 2008
Herdade Sao Miguel Touriga Nacional 2008
Algarve
Marques dos

Vales Grace 2008
Bairrada
Encontro Touriga Nacional 2008
Beira Interior
Quinta do Cardo Touriga Nacional 2008
Dao
Quinta das Mairas 2008
Munda 2008
Perdra Cancela Touriga Nacional 2008
Douro
Churchill’s Estate Touriga Nacional 2008
Inquieto Touriga Nacional 2008
Quinta da Pedra Alta Touriga Nacional 2007
Quinta do Vallado Touriga Nacional 2008
Munda and Marques dos Vales Grace do not have an agent in the UK.
One of the most interesting pieces of feedback from the conference, which didn’t surprise me, was the discovery for many people, of the high quality of white wines from Portugal.
Podcasts to follow.
The Wine Tipster

Had an excellent three days at Taste of Christmas, kicking off on Friday with The Good Housekeeping Lunch. As a compere, my life was made easier by the fact that not only did Lawrence Keogh from Roast and Pascal Aussignac from Club Gascon create some delicious dishes, they were great guys to interview. To follow, and to keep the taste buds in full attendance, we had three high quality chesses from Piedmont, all imported by the respected Gastronomica in Borough Market. The stand out choice was the Robiola Rochetta, a blend of cow, sheep and goats’ milk, which was semi-soft and refreshing. Post cheese our final interview and audience Q&A was a real success with Jean-Christophe Novelli, who is most definitely a passionate and informative guy. If you are looking for an ideal Christmas present then check out Jean-Christophe’s Cookery School.
Vino wise, here are some of the star wines from my press wine and food matching walks:
Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine du Prieure 2006, France, £9.75. Stockist: Amanda’s Wines. A bone dry Sauvignon Blanc made from 60 year old vines, which is full flavoured, minerally and will keep until 2015.
Chateau Civrac Element 2009, France, £8.00. Stockists: Civrac.com, The Sampler. 2009 was a star vintage for claret, with this 100% Merlot delivering fresh, dark fruit flavours and soft tannins in an accessible style. Well priced.
Moscato d Asti NV, Dante Rivetti, Italy, £9.90. Stockist: Colasanti.
Moscato is dismissed unfairly and this 5% abv refreshing Asti has the perfect fruity cut through for Christmas pudding. Delicious.
In amongst the tastings I was filming some Food and Wine Matching Sessions with The Pocket Chef for a xmas special – we are quite a double act.
The Tasting Tables – half hour themed, interactive seminars for 20 people – are
a firm fixture of the show and I really enjoyed presenting some sessions for Waitrose. A brief selection, with more to follow, of wines featured.
Bolney Estate Pinot Grigio 2009, England, £8.59.
This West Sussex refreshing white was rightly popular in my English session, combining citrus character with some ripe flavours.
Rustenberg Chardonnay 2009, South Africa, £11,99.
A class act Stellenbosch producer that continues to deliver well balanced wines year after year. Ripe Chardonnay buttery character, with subtle oaky influence; enjoy with grilled fish or fish in cream sauce.
Vida Nova Rose 2009, Portugal, £8.79.
From the dry, stylish, fruity, serious school of rose wine making, Sir Cliff’s Algarve pink really is a hit! Good value.
Bodegas Chivite Gran Feudo Reserva Especial 2005, Spain £11.99.
Chivite is one of the most renowned producers in the underrated Navarra region. Youthful in appearance, this medium to full bodied oak aged 2005, has damson, plum and spicy nuances. Decant 2-3 hours before serving;an ideal match with lamb.

The Taste of Christmas Safari Lunch on day two started at Iberica, who served a spicy octopus dish. Also check out Iberica for tapas and a fine selection of wines and sherries.
We motored on with my black cab tasting, Waitrose Palo Cortado Sherry, Spain, Waitrose, £8.19, a delicious nutty, well priced sherry made my Lustau, which was a real hit with the other cab riders. Our main course at Gauthier Soho, was one of the dishes of the year. Truffle risotto with veal jus and parmigiana crisps, well matched with a Gamay of the year,

Henry Fessy’s Brouilly, Beaujolais, 2009, France, Waitrose, £9.99, full of ripe fruit, rounded, soft tannins and a great example of what Gamay can achieve.
More beautiful presentation and flavours were produced at Benares, with their finely balanced Roasted Roe Deer Fillet, Venison Biriyani and Stuffed Courgette. The red wine match of Barone di Valforte Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo DOC 2009, Italy, Colasanti, £11.70, packed with high quality cherry and damson fruit flavours, balanced by gentle tannins, heightened the freshness of this Montepuciano.
For a sweet red wine with a non-cloying finish try, Château d’Anglès Oorain Victoria 2006, France, Hawkshead Wines, Hanging Ditch Wines, £19.99.This is Eric Fabre’s conjunction with Olivier Orain, made with Syrah, Grenache and maple syrup. Medium bodied, figs, chocolates and subtle maple syrup. Bring on the Christmas pudding!

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.

This week I had a fascinating trip to The Basque Country and Rioja. This included a visit to The Txakoli Oxinbaltza winery in the Basque Country, just 30kms from Bilbao. To explain, Txakoli is a special type of wine that is typical of the Basque Country and as you can see from the picture, vines are grown on very steep slopes.We tasted some excellent 2010 whites, including Txakoli Katan, made from the indigenous varietal Hondarrabi Zuri, which is creamy, refreshing and backed by crisp acidity. The winery is also producing an intriguing sur lie called Txakoli Maiora.These wines will be released in February 2011 and hopefully will be available through a UK importer.Other Txakoli wines are available from Hanging Ditch Wines and Villeneuve Wines.
Another highlight of the trip was Marques De Riscal, one of the oldest bodegas in Rioja, and a nice balance of traditional and new. Adjacent to the winery, is the funky Frank Gehry designed Hotel Marques de Riscal at a few hundred Euros a night or alternatively stay at Hotel Villa de Laguardia. Keeping with the design theme, and only a short drive from Riscal, is the much photographed Ysios bodega designed by Santiago Calatrava, which is one of the world’s most stunning wineries.Riscal and Ysios aren’t just an architectural story.
White Wines
Polus 2009, Rioja, Loli Casado. Not currently imported.
100% Viura isn’t always this interesting or weighty. Soft, buttery nose, rounded, nutty,medium bodied with good texture. Easy drinking. Look out for Loli Casado.
Marques de Riscal 2009, Rueda, £6.99. Sainsbury’s.
Not from Rioja, but Rueda, and Riscal have produced a crisp, refreshing, light, aperitif white. Ultra consistent.
Red Wines
Muriel Reserva 2004, Rioja, £7.99. Coop.
Bodegas Muriel is one of the key producers in Rioja Alavesa. Their 2004 is medium bodied, with chocolate, dark fruit flavours and spice. Well priced, enjoyable style.
Marques de Riscal Reserva 2005, Rioja, £13.99. Majestic.
From this 10 out 10 vintage, medium bodied, concentrated fruit character of damsons, blackcurrants, backed by vanilla, with some tannic grip. Decant.
Ysios Reserva 2005, Rioja, £15.99. Waitrose.
Modern building and contemporary style of Rioja. Velvety, medium to full bodied 100%Tempranillo,French oak influenced red. Lamb and Tempranillo work. Decant.

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.

As The Food and Wine Matching Expert for Taste of London I presented at the press launch to many of the food bloggers and I will be seeing them soon at the events leading up to Taste of Christmas. I saw Luis Hara, The London Foodie, last weekend and recently Luiz completed an excellent piece on a Portuguese cuisine evening, organised by The London Cooking Club and presented by cookery writer Tessa Kiros. Other food bloggers to look out for are: Eat Like a Girl, A Girl has to Eat, I am a Feeder. All of these food bloggers will include restaurant reviews but also check out The Fluid Foundation for a comprehensive review of what is happening in London. Fluid have a great top ten list based on cuisine, private rooms, type of event etc.I also like the polished and informative Blue Tomato Magazine which is available as a freebie in Central London.
The Wine Tipster may not be a food blogger but I have had the pleasure of dining out recently at the stylish Portugese Restaurant Portal in EC1. Whilst tucking into some Bacalhau, enjoy a glass of Trevo Branco 2009, Vinho Verde. Just down the road for real meat lovers is the rightfully acclaimed St John Restaurant, which delivers quality wholesome food in a relaxing eaterie. It isn’t surprising that Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson have won numerous awards for their EC1 dining experience.
During The London Restaurant Festival, I had the pleasure of hosting a food and champagne dinner at Pierre Koffmann’s. Koffmann’s is the complete deal, with the finest cooking, supported by unobstrusive and professional service.

The two French wines – Taste the Difference Muscadet Sur Lie 2009 and Chablis Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2008 – that I can recommended earlier this week are buy 6 bottles save 25% off till Tuesday 26th October.
Today I have just tasted the Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2010, New Zealand, £8.49, Tescos, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose. 2010 is an excellent vintage for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Brancott Estate is dry, fresh, grassy, peppery, refreshing, with an excellent finish of fresh fruit flavours.
ONA Viognier Riesling Chardonnay 2009, Casablanca & Rapel, Anakena, Chile, £10.99. Stockist Oddbins. Anakena is a producer that has the fruit map worked out for white wines and this blend of Viognier, Riesling and Chardonnay is pretty much evenly spilt across the three varietals. A complex dry white which is spicy, oily, with lychee and intensely fruity flavours. Lovely to drink on its own or with lightly spiced dishes.
La Difference Carignan, 2009, France, £5.99, Tescos, is an award winning great value red that delivers gulpable fresh cherry and plummy fruit flavours. A medium bodied easy drinking red that is the perfect wine for chilling out at home or as a crowd pleaser at parties.

Recently sampled at The Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference and New Wines Tasting.
Taste the Difference Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie 2009, France, £6.29.
I have over the last couple of years returned to the Loire for vino pleasure and this Muscadet is thirst quenching with fresh citrus fruit, minerally character and good structure.
Chablis Premier Cru Mont De Milieu Saint Celine 2008, France, £16.99.
Many of us have experienced the disappointment of spending more than loose change on a bottle of Chablis, however please treat yourselves here.Mont De Milieu Saint Celine is rounded,has an intense buttery style, complexity and a delicious lengthy finish. A wine to savour. Allow this wine 20 minutes out of the fridge before you taste because you want to appreciate all those subtle flavours.
Taste the Difference Douro 2008, Portugal, £7.99.
Made by Quinta Do Crasto from the red varieties: Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Roriz and Touriga Franca. Dark chocolatey, plummy fruit, minty and liquorice notes, with good grip. Medium bodied and a good food match with lamb.

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