A WINE TASTING LUNCH AT THE OLD CUSTOM HOUSE, BARNSTAPLE SUNDAY 28th SEPTEMBER 2008 at 12.30pm: With the help of an old colleague and friend of ours, Guy Boursot, we have sourced a number of new and exciting wines from France (soon to be available on-line) and to introduce some of these wines, we would like to invite you to an informal lunch on Sunday 28th September at 12.30pm at the Old Custom House in Barnstaple. I am delighted to announce that Guy will be our guest speaker for the lunch. Guy spent 17 years at Berry Bros & Rudd, the UK’s most prestigious wine merchant and ran his own family business, A. Boursot & Co, for 11 years before returning to his ancestral home in France where he has set up businesses advising both British and French companies and individuals on various aspects of wine. Since 2004 he has developed his wine writing, his vineyard tours business and more recently has set up a wine shop in the historic town of Ardres in northern France. Guy is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers, has appeared on UK television and radio and is an accomplished and knowledgeable speaker. The Old Custom House is now in the more than capable hands of Chef James Duckett. After completing a degree in Business and Hospitality, James first went to France to work at a small Michelin starred restaurant in the vineyards of the Plan Medoc under the watchful eye of chef/patron Christian Sauvage. Having spent a year as Commis Chef, James developed a true passion for French cooking and so Christian Sauvage sent him off to work with his old friend Albert Roux, firstly at his restaurant in Amsterdam at the Grand Hotel and then subsequently at the two Michelin star Gavroche in London. Later, while in London James helped in the opening of Gordon Ramsey’s second restaurant venture, L’Oronger, under Marcus Wareing where a Michelin star was quickly gained, completed a spell at Frederick’s in Islington and then moved to work with Philip Howard at The Square in Mayfair as part of the team which secured the restaurant’s second Michelin star. As well as all of this, he has worked at prestigious eateries in Australia and Spain, adding even further to his international experience. As you can see, this promises to be an amazing way to spend a Sunday lunchtime and we are very pleased to have Guy coming to speak and very excited about having such a talented chef here in Barnstaple. Tickets are priced at just £50 per head to include food and wine. Please contact Brett Stephens as soon as possible to secure your places on 01271 370097 or email: mail@fabulous-wine.co.uk – as usual, we can only book on a first come, first served basis. A full menu can be downloaded below.