Week in pictures

Haka dancers, giant corks, gin fountains and a pug. It’s all here in our look back at the last seven days in the drinks industry.

 

 

 

 

 

Benoit Gouez, chef de cave at Moët & Chandon and brand manager Martyn Bowden introduce the Moët Ice Impérial in perfect London sunshine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amid the suits, stilettos and slurping at the London International Wine Fair, this guy certainly stood out from the crowd. Known only as "Bruce", he performed a storming version of the Haka, the traditional dance of the Maori, by the New Zealand Wine stand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(l-r) db‘s Patrick Schmitt, Gabby Savage, Lucy Shaw and wine writer James Lawrence enjoy a glass of Le Voyage du Chai au Quai 2009 Castillon aboard the 100-year-old former wine cargo ship SV Irene docked in Butler’s Wharf near Tower Bridge. Stocked with over 9,000 bottles of claret, the ship had just arrived in London after a 14-day journey from Bordeaux, reviving the centuries old wine trade route. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlo Grossi (r), managing director of Italian wine specialists Grossi Wines, was honoured to be visited by the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Alain Giorgio Maria (l), on the last day of the LIWF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press office organisers Sally Bishop of Relish PR (l) and Helen Chesshire enjoy a giggle as the LIWF winds down to a close.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We thought it couldn’t be done, but somehow Grey Goose brand ambassador Joe McCanta managed to marry together Grey Goose vodka with peat-and-smoke-heavy Ardbeg 10 Year Old Islay Scotch whisky in a bespoke cocktail in the Royal Suite at the recently reopened Renaissance Hotel in London’s St Pancras.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After several glasses of Tio Pepe, db‘s Lucy Shaw and John Chapman of the Oxford Wine Company climb a Sherry solera at 5am at the Feria de Caballo in Jerez. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jura-based winemaker Philippe Bornard shows off his fetching orange shirt and matching orange fox wine label at the Natural Wine Fair in London’s Borough Market. The event proved a huge success, sellling out of all 900 consumer tickets. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giant corks in the foyer at ExCel during the London International Wine Fair to highlight the cause of APCOR – the Portuguese Wine Association.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

db‘s Lucy Shaw took time out from dancing Sevillanas in the González Byass caseta at the Feria de Jerez to chat with Spanish wine maverick Alvaro Palacios, who was making a pitstop in Jerez before jetting off to Texas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edgerton gin had by far one of the most imaginative and attractive stands at Distil, the spirits exhibition at the LIWF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caught out by the early spell of warm weather, Savage pug Vera is revived by a refreshing Cotswold pint.

db, 20.05.2011