Three days of top class racing, luxury dining and Champagne: it must be Newmarket. This year’s racing culminated in the July Cup on the Saturday – won by Harry Angel who was given a great ride by Adam Kirby, beating the favourite, Caravaggio.

The Wine Tipster spent the festival presenting on Newmarket Course TV and ITV, as well as showcasing some wonderful wines in the Summer House Restaurant and at the daily Moët and Chandon Champagne paired lunches alongside a fabulous menu.

The 2017 Festival marked the launch of this Champagne and Dining experience by The Jockey Club, which was a huge success. It was a great example of how well Champagne can be paired, with dishes such as the Fish Duo of Trout Mousse and Lemon Cured Salmon.

It was great to see so many familiar faces in the Summer House this year, as well as amazing support for English Wines, especially Bolney Estate Foxhole Vineyard Pinot Gris, Nyetimber Classic Cuvée MV and Chapel Down English Rosé.

The Wine Tipster also did well on the tipping front this year, with Tangled at 8:1 on the Friday, and Medahim at 12:1 on the Saturday, both trained by Richard Hannon.

Overall, the 2017 Moët and Chandon July festival was a massive success, with attendances up on last year. The Wine Tipster will be returning next year – don’t miss him!

With Summer in full swing, what better way to relax and enjoy the sun than with a cool glass of Prosecco. Luckily, SPAR is currently stocking two fabulous and well-priced bottles: SPAR Extra Dry Treviso DOC Prosecco (£9.00) and SPAR Superiore Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco (£12.00).

The Wine Tipster does not seem to be alone in his love of Prosecco, as the UK currently accounts for 33% of Prosecco exports, making the UK the largest global importer. Following record exports to the UK in 2016, Prosecco DOC continues to grow across key markets – led by the UK returning an average of 30-40% growth over the past few years alone.

Production of DOC (designated area of origin) wines has risen from 1.5 million hl in 2011 to a huge 3.5 million in 2016. You’ll be pleased to hear that o ur thirst for quality Proseccos has led to the Prosecco DOC Consorzio increasing the area under vine. As of July 2009 Prosecco can only be produced in the regions of Veneto and Fruili-Venezia-Giulia in North-East Italy, but thankfully, there are lots of suitable vineyards areas across the nine provinces in the Prosecco region.

It should also be noted that Prosecco is never produced on tap, only in bottle, with the driest style being brut, then extra dry and dry. Prosecco DOC is also a perfect summer pairing with Grana Padano PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese from the North-West and North-East of Italy, as well as complimenting sushi and shell fish.

The two Proseccos available at SPAR are both easy-drinking and elegant, with the DOC Extra Dry excelling in its citrus fruit character and crisp acidity, and the DOCG Valdobbiadene (which is a famous town in the hills of the Prosecco region) has wonderful floral notes. Both are excellent pairings with Grana Padano cheese.

These SPAR stocked bottles are a must this summer, and next time you pop into a SPAR why not have a look at the rest of their wine selection too!

The Wine Tipster had a fantastic Royal Ascot 2017, presenting for Racing UK, BBC Berkshire and Ascot Racecourse. Over four and a half thousand people per day worked tirelessly throughout the week to make it another unforgettable year, which was made even more special with the spontaneous three cheers for the Queen everyday. Nearly 300,000 people attended this year’s Royal Ascot 2017 and the media coverage has never been stronger across the world.

As the official Champagne of Ascot this year, Champagne Bollinger was certainly flowing throughout the week, as was the official cocktail of the Flat season: The Royal Blush. The beautiful pink concoction is a mix of Beefeater London dry gin and rhubarb syrup, with chilled lemonade and fresh raspberries – making the perfect summer drink to enjoy at the racecourse.ITV’s James Tanner’s 

Queen Anne Kitchen was a new feature for the Racecourse, and was a particular favourite of The Wine Tipster, especially the Salt and Pepper Squid and the West Country Crab Salad, which paired beautifully with the Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Spy Valley from Marlborough, New Zealand. Tom Stanley my wonderful colleague from Racing UK enjoyed ‘going in’.

Other new features of Ascot this year included the 1768 Restaurant for lunch and afternoon tea, as well as The Village in the centre of the course which provided a more relaxed racing experience and was home to some stunning food stalls. The Wine Tipster tucked into Eggs Benedict from the wonderful Hotbox, who appear at music festivals across the country with their delicious delights.The Wine Tipster’s highlights of the week included tasting with Rishi Persad such dishes as Raymond Blanc’s Cornish Crab Salad with Coconut Bisque which was beautifully paired with the award-winning Bolney Estate Bacchus 2016 from Sussex. In regards to racing, however, The Wine Tipster enjoyed Gold Cup Day, especially with the 2 ½ mile feature won by his big tip of the week, Big Orange, who gallantly just managed to hold off the favourite Order of St George. Ribchester breaking the course record in the Jersey Stakes in the first race of Royal Ascot 2017 was also an unforgettable Ascot moment, as was Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup for the all conquering Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore.   

All in all, another memorable and exciting Royal Ascot, for both the racing and fine dining experiences.

The Wine Tipster spent the week at the 37^th London Wine Trade Fair, presenting an ‘Unlocking Prosecco’s Potential’ session, exploring the versatility of food and Prosecco pairings. He was joined by Italian Embassy chef, Danilo Cortellini, and together they entertained and educated a combination of bloggers, presenters, event organisers, wine educators, merchants and journalists.

The audience were treated to some fabulous canapes courtesy of Danilo, including Sicilian red prawn marinated with sweet red chilli and fresh burrata mousse, Beef Tartare with marinated egg yolk, and a goat cheese bonbon with beetroot powder and hazelnut. Accompanying the array of food, The Wine Tipster explained the background of Prosecco in terms of the Prosecco DOC regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia and the effect of minerality on the different styles of Prosecco. He also updated the audience on current and future vineyard plantings, as well as the huge success story of Prosecco in the UK at the moment, with 112.7 million bottles being sold last year alone.

Six carefully chosen wines were featured at this original session, including Zonin Cuvée 1821 Brut, La Jara Extra Dry, Fantinel Brut, Facchin Extra Dry, Raphael Dal Bol Extra Dry and Torresella Extra Dry. This diverse range of wines allowed The Wine Tipster to educate the audience on the importance of different Prosecco styles, as well as the method of production.

A key message that was appreciated and understood by the audience was the range of good Prosecco producers from both Veneto and Friuli, with the range of high quality wines that are available for over £10. All of the wines tasted were well received, leaving The Wine Tipster to highlight the versatility of Prosecco as a great pairing with the delicious dishes prepared by Danilo.

Danilo also talked about how Prosecco is a lovely pairing with Grana Padano, and how he uses this truly tasty cheese in his dishes. The Wine Tipster highly recommends Danilo’s debut book, 4 Grosvenor Square, published by Meze Publishing.

The Wine Tipster will be presenting more Prosecco DOC sessions paired with Grana Padano at Taste of London with Danilo, Foodies Festival, and the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival.

This weekend saw the 2017 QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket: the first two features of the five Classics for the three year old racehorses. The Wine Tipster attended both the 2000 Guineas on Saturday for the colts, and the 1000 Guineas on Sunday for the fillies, and enjoyed, like the other spectators, the excitement around this festival and the chance to discover the talent of the three year olds. After a fabulous weekend of racing, we are sure to have true champions for the 2017 season.

Saturday 6^th May: The first day of the festival highlighted that Churchill, trained by Aidan O’Brien, has carried on from his two year old days and justified favouritism by winning the 2000 Guineas in impressive style. There were also strong form lines from this race with Barney Roy, Al Wukair and Eminent chasing him home. This leaves Churchill 7-4 favourite for the Derby, and we’ll have to hope he takes his place at Epsom.

Sunday 7^th May: This race saw the favourite, Rhododendron, have a troubled passage, and failing to collar her impressive stable mate, Winter, who travelled superbly throughout the race, showing the potential to be a real champion. Despite her difficult run, Rhododendron showed a fantastic turn of foot and will definitely be winning races in 2017. The Wine Tipster fancied her to win not only for her amazing performance at Newmarket last year, but because, as Alan Titchmarsh says, May is the best month for Rhododendrons. The 1000 Guineas race day also saw good performances from Frontiersman and race debutant, Way of Wisdom.

The Wine Tipster spent the weekend presenting in the Chez Roux Restaurant with fantastic dishes prepared by the legendary Albert Roux. Popular wines throughout the Guineas Festival included Bolney Estate Foxhole Vineyard Pinot Gris, and Prophet’s Rock Dry Riesling.

The Wine Tipster also presented on the course TV, promoting the ‘racecourse experience’ featuring the Purely Prosecco Bar with high quality and stylish Proseccos from the famous producer Bisol. As well as enjoying some bubbles, there were some very tasty Powter Sausages from Newmarket, who were established in 1881 and have been associated with the racecourse for 50 years; A delicious way to celebrate the Guineas.

 

The other three Classics coming up are Oaks and the Derby at Epsom in June, and the final Classic, The St Leger at Doncaster in September. The Wine Tipster is looking forward to seeing how the runners from the Guineas perform in the coming months.

At South Bank Tower on April 10^th, The Wine Tipster had the privilege of attending the international launch of Veuve Clicquot’s Extra Brut Extra Old. This new low-dosage double-aged Cuvée is blended exclusively from the Maison’s famed collection of reserve wines, and was unveiled in a spectacular evening of fine food and company.

The infamous Cellar Master, Dominique Demarville, has selected wines he deems to be most representative of the Veuve Clicquot style to create Extra Brut Extra Old – the first release being an assemblage of 47% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay and 26% Meunier from the 1988, 1996, 2006, 2008 and 2010 vintages.

“Veuve Clicquot’s reserve wines selection has long been at the heart of the House’s identity,” comments President Jean-Marc Gallot. “Extra Brut Extra Old is an exploration of these, born from Demarville’s desire to isolate the very essence of Yellow Label.  By delving into Veuve Clicquot’s abundant heritage, and assembling six years of its finest reserve wines spanning over three decades, he has singled out the properties that make Yellow Label unique, and arrived at Extra Brut Extra Old: a wine unparalleled in purity of taste, intensity and silkiness.”

This exciting new Champagne was perfectly matched with a stunning menu curated by Lee Westcott, Executive Chef at Typing Room, and served to the banquet of 80 guests on Monday. Each course was expertly paired with the Extra Brut Extra Old, Vintage Rosé 2008 or Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec, giving guests a full Veuve Clicquot experience. The Wine Tipster was particularly intrigued with Demarville’s choice to decant the Demi-Sec – an interesting but enjoyable way to taste this wine. A surprising and original pairing was the Beetroot, Jerusalem Artichoke, Hazelnut and Blackcurrant with the Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old, which was also a beautiful match with Scallop, Fennel, Smoked Lardo and Apple.

Overall, the evening was a huge success, with informative and engaging talks from Demarville, who The Wine Tipster greatly admires and has the upmost respect for this wonderful Chef de Cave.

 

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old NV is now available to the UK On and Off-Trades via Moët Hennessy UK, with an RRP of £69.00 – tel: 020 7808 4390.

On, Friday 10^th March, Chadlington Village Memorial Hall welcomed back The Wine Tipster for an evening of tips, tasting and tipsiness, all in the name of charity.

After the success of his last Whose Wine is it Anyway event in Chadlington 4 years ago, The Wine Tipster returned to raise funds for the Village Hall Project and entertain in an evening of information and merriment. There was breath-taking yet comic Opera performed by Claire Bradshaw (mezzo-soprano) and Richard Coxon (tenor), advice on how to bet on horses at Cheltenham and to taste and choose the best wines, as well as a much better than average raffle, with prizes including hampers from Chadlington Quality Foods and a Moët Magnum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the host of the evening, The Wine Tipster led his audience through a taste exploration of 8 different wines, including Proseccos, rosés, whites and reds, much to everyone’s enjoyment. The insider knowledge shared on which wines to look out for and cheapest places to buy them was invaluable, and well received.

Throughout the evening, the audience were treated to delicious mini pizzas from Café de la Post, and chocolate tarts from Chadlington Quality Foods that went down well with the wines and San Pellegrino on offer. With the pouring of the Beronia Rioja Crianza from magnum came the donning of berets and fake moustaches by The Wine Tipster and his team, much to everyone’s amusement!

A 70^th birthday was also celebrated on the evening, with a serenade from Claire and Richard and a delicious cake made by Susan Myatt which was shared around – what better way to celebrate a birthday than with The Wine Tipster in a beret and fake moustache.

As the evening progressed, so did the amount of alcohol consumed, which possibly contributed to the impressive total funds raised for the Village Hall Project: around £850. This wouldn’t have been possible without the sponsors of the evening, who kindly supplied the Hall with wine. Thanks go to Zonin for Prosecco Cuvée 1821 Brut and Prosecco Zonin Grey Edition Glera & Pinot Grigio Brut, Kleine Zalze from South Africa for Zalze Chenin Blanc , Esk Valley with their Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône Rosé, Beronia (for the wine, berets and Rioja Crianza magnums), Château Léoube Rouge de Léoube from the Côtes de Provence  and Tim Adams for Clare Valley, Australia with The Fergus as well as San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna for keeping everyone hydrated throughout the night. Ticket sales and food from Chadlington Quality Foods and Café de la Post also made the night possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, The Wine Tipster did not disappoint, and everyone who attended said what a wonderfully fun event it was, as well as a success in regards to the fundraising for such a worthy cause. Since the 10^th, the Paulings who attended the evening had a success to celebrate at Cheltenham with Willoughby Court (14-1), who was trained by their son Ben Pauling winning on the Wednesday. There were other success stories thanks to The Wine Tipster’s advice and knowledge including Buveur D’Air, who would win the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday. Successes all round!

 

This year’s Festival of Food & Wine Racing Weekend at Ascot Racecourse was a roaring success. In addition to a fantastic day of racing, racegoers were able to visit a brilliant selection of over 40 food and wine stalls.

Culinary genius Raymond Blanc and Wine Expert Oz Clarke were joined by Racing Tipster, Neil Phillips in the Furlong Club Gastronomes Theatre who together brought you not only great demonstrations but plenty of entertainment too! Guests began the day’s busy schedule with a glass of Chapel Down English Sparkling Wine followed by a perfect coffee preparation and coffee cocktail demonstration with Lavazza. They then enjoyed an Old World versus New World tasting with cheese and charcuterie provided by Wondering Wine Kitchen and wine pairing suggestions to accompany seared Halibut with Shellfish Risotto created by Sodexo Head Chef Ben Dutson. The Wine Tipster presented a fantastic Pie and Wine Tasting with two Sweeny & Todd Pies paired with Delicato Family Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel and Soave Classico Monte Carbonare, Italy courtesy of Bibendum Wines. Fiona Smith presented beer and food pairings with Stella Artois.

In addition to his MC duties and wine presenting, The Wine Tipster also marked the racecard for the day which resulted in four winners including Dutch Law at 12/1 and Frontispiece at 7/1.

We look forward to seeing you again in 2017.

With thanks to Grown Up Marshmallows, Wiltshire Chilli Farm, B.O.B’s Lobster, Cake Hole, Sweeney & Todd Pies and Dark Horse Wines.

Photos Courtesy of Jonathan Short.

The Wine Tipster was delighted to make his third consecutive appearance at The Aston Wine Club with his popular Champagne Tasting. He presented a total of 9 champagnes including Lanson Rosé Label Brut NV, Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV, Canard-Duchéne Authentic Réserve NV and Lanson Rosé Label Brut NV to a full house.

The keen and enthusiastic crowd also discussed glassware, magnums, key vintages and storage in relation to champagne learning a great deal whilst enjoying themselves. The Wine Tipster is delighted to be returning next year for The Aston Wine Club’s 20th Anniversary Tasting on May 20th 2016.

www.astonwineclub.co.uk

Nigel Rumsey from Rumsey’s Chocolates and The Wine Tipster joined Kat Orman on BBC Radio Oxford for Foodie Friday. Nigel produces delicious handmade chocolates and we had some fantastic matches on Friday including orange seville with Vilarnau Rosé Cava NV, a stunning combination of raspberry cream chocolate with the Edmeades Perli Late Harvest Zinfandel 2006 and the Sandeman Late Bottled Vintage Port 2008 tasted great with Gruyère cheese dipped in an organic chocolate log!

Details of the the wines, port and chocolates below.

Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2010 Vidal-Fleury, Rhone, France. Stockist: Bablake Wines £13.99.Chocolates: Organic Dark Chocolate Log and Salted Caramel.

Vilarnau Cava Brut Rosé NV, Sant’ Sadurni d’ Anoia, Spain. Stockist: The Oxford Wine Company £10.99 or £10.44 when buying a mixed case of 12 bottles.Chocolates: Orange Seville and Praline Cocoa.

Edmeades Perli Late Harvest Zinfandel 2006, Mendocino, USA. Stockist: www.hailshamcellars.com £10.79 for a half bottle. Chocolates: Raspberry Cream and Cafe

Supreme.

Sandeman Late Bottled Vintage Port 2008, Douro, Portugal. Stockist: Waitrose £15.99. Chocolates: Chilli Amaretto, Praline Cocoa and Gruyère cheese dipped in an organic chocolate log!

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