The Wine Tipster/Sommelier presented at Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival on 9th and 10th October in the Champions Gallery Restaurant at the Rowley Mile Course.

Guests were treated to some top class racing from a fantastic vantage point. They enjoyed a high quality dining experience including

Venison Scotch Egg, seared Cold Fillet and Sticky Pineapple Upside Cake paired with delicious wines. Popular choices were Moët & Chandon Rosé Imperial NV, Riva Leone Barbaresco DOCG 2011 Piemonte,

Jean Biecher & Fils Riesling 2014 Alsace and Chambolle-Musigny Domaine Roux 2012 Burgundy.

Stand out racing performances at the Dubai Future Champions Festival included the exciting Air Force Blue, Gifted Master and the remarkable Grumeti, who won the Betfred Cesarewitch, at 50/1. The Cesarewitch is one of the great flat races as a spectacle, with 34 runners racing over two miles two furlongs.

An ideal experiences for novices and regular racegoers alike.

With Christmas round the corner, it’s time to buy your bubbly, wines, sherries, spirits and ports. Here’s my time-saving list of recommendations that will work perfectly with every Christmas occasion.

Bubbly and sparkling wines play an important role in any festivities. If you want to create a stylish way to share and enjoy bubbly at your party, then opt for a magnum. They also make great presents! For a really special occasion, buy a vintage champagne. The 10 out of 10 vintage is 2002 and I’d definitely recommend Pommery Cuvée Louise 2002, from Ocado (£109.99). Look out for their Pommery Grand Cru Vintage 2004 too, which is stunning, Ocado (£51.99),  Another lovely vintage to enjoy now is the 2006 Jacquart Blanc de Blancs which is excellent and available at Tesco (£40) . For a signature celebration champagne, go for Laurent-Perrier Brut NV, available on offer at Waitrose (£24.99) and also at Sainsbury’s. Serve with a dash of sloe gin.

Alternatively, a magnum of Prosecco, will also add a fun, celebratory feel to any yuletide party. Try the fresh, creamy style of premium Prosecco Magnum NV Masottina  from M&S (£19.99). This is also one to carry through and continue to serve with a smoked salmon starter on Christmas Day. Alternatively open a bottle of dry sherry such as Gonzalez Byass Tio Pepe Fino (£9.99) available in all major retailers. Serve this delicious, refreshing sherry chilled. Once opened, you’ll need to drink this within a couple of days. Otherwise, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire, such as a good Sancerre, will also work well here like Sancerre Blanc 2013 Domaine Vacheron, at Majestic (£17.99).

Around 68% of us will be eating turkey on Christmas Day, according to a 2014 Gallup survey in Prospect magazine. So what’s the best wine to serve with it? Many opt for a Bordeaux to complement all the rich flavours of the accompanying dishes. If you’re looking for good value, choose a Bordeaux with a Cru Bourgeois label – a mark of quality. Bordeaux wines from 2009 are considered the ‘once in a lifetime’ vintage for Bordeauxs, but the 2010 Bordeaux are also considered exceptional. Bordeaux wines do need to breathe properly, so decant 2-3 hours before serving. Within this style of wine, some of the best value Cru Bourgeois wines are available at Berry Brothers & Rudd, Fine & Rare, Lea & Sandeman and The Wine Society.

Alternatively, a Rioja works well with turkey and game, including venison. Try Campo de Viejo Gran Reserva 2007 at Sainsbury’s (£15.99) or a Louis Jadot CÔte du Beaune-Villages 2012 (£16.99 – buy 2 save 15%) at Majestic, the Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir 2012 at Ocado (£19.49 to £16.49).

On Boxing Day, serve cold turkey with a fabulous Beaujolais such as the ripe and fruity, Château des Labourons Fleurie 2011, produced by Henry Fessy, and available through winedirect.com (£16.99). Or, equally good, the Brouilly Henry Fessy 2012 at Waitrose (£11.99) would also be very good here.

Now the cheeseboard. Pair a classic stilton or Alex James’ Blue Monday with Sandeman Late Bottled Vintage Port 2009 at Waitrose (£15.99 to £12.99) or Sandeman 20-year-old Tawny Port, also from Waitrose, (£32.49). Other wines that will complement cheese include a red such as such a Bordeaux with a good cheddar, while Roquefort is a good match for Sauternes.

Tawny port is also a good accompaniment to mince pies, Christmas pud and as an aperitif, served chilled. Other rich, fruity wines that complement intense fruit flavours include; the Gonzalez Byass Matusalem Oloroso Dulce Muy Viejo VORS – a rich, dark Oloroso sherry, available at Waitrose (£19.99 half bottle), or try Blandys 15-year old Malmsey Madeira from The Oxford Wine Company (£26.99). Alternatively, opt for the rich, luscious flavours of the perfect Christmas tipple, Californian Elysium Rutherglen Black Muscat 2012, (£11.99) available at The Oxford Wine Company.

Good all-round easy drinkers I’m very happy to offer anytime over the festive break include South Africa’s Zalze Sangiovese 2013 (£6.99), available at Co-Op. Peter Yealands’ Sauvignon Blanc 2013 from Co-op (£9.99) and Sainsbury’s (on offer £7.50) and  Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference, Macon Villages 2013 (£8.99). For a Rose, try Les Dauphins Rosé 2013 at Asda, (£6.99).

Have a wonderful Christmas and make sure you watch the William Hill King George VI on Boxing Day at Kempton. Also, don’t miss the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on Saturday 27th December.

A big thank you to Jean Adams and Richard Cocks for their Taste of France 2009/10/11 tasting evening and dinner. Jean and Richard had generously invited 20 good people to taste 13 wines covering the 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages, with some fine, relaxed dining to follow.
Francophile Richard was on top form as he guided us through some lovely Burgundian whites including a delicious, creamy and elegant Santenay Olivier Leflaive 2011, Haynes Hanson & Clark which will continue to improve and develop for some years ahead. In contrast, Domaine Borgeot’s Bourgogne Aligote 2010, (2011 FromVineyardsDirect) which kicked off proceedings, is impressive drinking now.
Before headings to the reds, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011, Mas de Cadenet (2012 FromVineyardsDirect) reminded us all of summer with elegant, soft, raspberry and strawberry fruits. The easy drinking theme continued with the chilled Chitry Pinot Noir 2010 from Domaine Michel Colbois, before moving on to the silky, high class Nuits – Saint- Georges Jaffelin 2010.
The Wine Tipster enjoyed the full flavoured Chiroubles Cuvee Nature 2010, Eric Morin, which has

spice, blackcurrants and brambley character with more development to come, whilst the Chiroubles La Precieuse 2009 Emile Cheysson shown at Richard’s last tasting was equally enjoyable once again. This really is a great time to drink Beaujolais.
Thank you Jean and Richard as Louise, my Mum Jo, my father-in-law Alan Hill and The Wine Tipster all had a wonderful time and we look forward to being there in 2014!