Liz and Alan Burroughs, who are close friends of The Wine Tipster, were yesterday celebrating Alan’s 80th by having lunch at the wonderful Le Manoir aux ‘Quat Saisons. Le Manoir knows how to make guests relax and they will have enjoyed the Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut on arrival. The Burroughs are real food and wine enthusiasts and they have just returned from Croatia raving about the quality of wines both white and red. Alan was asking where he could buy Croatian wines and of course there are excellent wines available from the lovely Judith Burns and Trevor Long at Pacta Connect and also Croatian Fine Wines Ltd. The Wine Tipster showcased two of the wines from the latter’s portfolio at The Taste of Christmas Press Launch at The Cube on the top of The Royal Festival Hall (great place for a press launch). The white Kabola Malvazija Istarska 2011, £14.59, Croatian Fine Wines Ltd is dry, like a good Vinho Verde, with a refined intensity and a creamy, limey and leafy character, which was a fine match with Alex James’ Goats Cheese.Croatian Fine Wines’ Franc Arman Merlot 2008, £22.66 (pictured above), was a real winner with the guests. This high quality full bodied red, is well structured, with plenty of dark fruit and brambley character and will make a fine match with the Christmas roast. Cheers!