The week in pictures

Joe Wild of Berry and Rye in Liverpool was named the winner at the global final of the Bombay Sapphire, World’s Most Imaginative Cocktail competition, which took place at Ninetyeight Bar & Lounge in London. Judges said that Wild’s final cocktail, named ‘A Northerner Abroad’, brought “the taste and aroma of Bombay Sapphire to the fore,” combining with Martini Rosso, lemon juice rose petal and bhuto leaves.

A crowd gathers at the Guildford Arms in Edinburgh for the launch of Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn’s new unoaked Helles-style lager. The lager was created as part of the brewery’s 10th anniversary.

Andy McCartney and Ewen Burgess from The Granary and Kirsty Little from Bar Soba enjoy a glass of the news Innis & Gunn lager and the product’s launch in Edinburgh.

Glen Duckett, owner of The Eagle and Child pub in Ramsbottom, celebrate claiming top prize in the 2013 National Pub Pie Champion competition. The pub’s cheese and onion pie features Thwaites Lancaster Bomber ale and Lancashire Bomb cheese and is served with a tomato and beetroot salad.

Fountains in the Argentinian city of Mendoza turned pink to celebrate World Malbec day on Wednesday.

Prince Charles officially opened the new bottling hall at the Glen Grant distillery on Tuesday. During his visit the Prince was taken on a tour of the distillery, observed the bottling process and met staff, as well as those involved in the construction of the new plant.

At the end of the tour Prince Charles was presented with a bottle of the limited edition Glen Grant Five Decades single malt whisky, the latest expression from the distillery.

George Grant, the sixth generation of the Grant family to be involved with the Glenfarclas distillery, talks to attendees of a tasting of the Glenfarclas Family Cask whiskies at The Whisky Shop in Piccadilly, London.

The Whisky Shop’s Glenfarclas tasting featured whisky from 2003, 1993, 1983 and 1973 as well as the distillery’s 105, 20-year-old expression.

Chenin Blanc/Semillon blend Cartology, made by affable young husband and wife duo Chris and Suzaan Alheit (two of our top 10 South African winemakers to watch) stole the show at the WOSA braai day at High Timber restaurant in St Paul’s this week. The 2011 vintage is made from rare parcels of mature bush vines from Perdeberg, Kasteelberg and Franschhoek, and since scoring highly with Robert Parker’s SA critic Neal Martin, has all but sold out in London.

Portuguese-born, Toro-based winemaker Manuel Louzada made time for a lunch pitstop with db at The Table restaurant in Southwark during a whistle stop visit to the capital. During the lunch, Louzada showed off the 2007, 2008 and 2009 vintages of his wine, Numanthia, made from 100% Tinta de Toro from old bush vines in Toro. All had very distinct personalities, but the freshness and elegance of the 2007 won out for us.

We then made a mad dash to the Old Bank of England pub on Fleet Street for a night of piggy treats courtesy of Rupert Ponsonby of RandR Teamwork and food writer Tom Parker Bowles, who, along with Great British Menu presenter Matthew Fort, own the Mr Trotters pork scratchings brand, which is branching out into beer this year.

During the evening, we were treated to Mr Trotters and guacamole canapés, a fish pie stuffed with pork scratchings and ended with a warm apple crumble flecked with the salty snack. After dinner, db was given a tour of the old Bank of England vaults downstairs. Entering the room, the drop in temperature was astounding. The space is allegedly haunted by the ghosts of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street’s victims. Just as well we weren’t served any pies for dinner…

db chanced upon this beautiful gold Art Nouveau ceiling at The Blackfriar pub next to the newly refurbished Blackfriars station. An inscription on the wall reads: “A good thing is soon snatched.” The pub was almost demolished in the ’50s but fierce demonstrations from locals and regulars kept the treasure of a building in tact. We wonder if George Lucas got the inspiration for Yoda in Star Wars while enjoying a pint here. The figure in the centre of the picture looks suspiciously like the diminutive character.

Can you guess where in London we spotted this wine-themed sign?

Dynamic duo Claudia Brown and Jo Wehring of Wines of South Africa are all smiles (and bottles) at the WOSA braai day at High Timber. 

And finally… Pollen Street Social’s chief wine buyer Laure Patry and head bartender Gareth Evans are snapped before the launch of the Social Eating House in Soho – the third restaurant in Jason Atherton’s ever expanding empire. Among the cocktails will be the Silver Screen, made with popcorn infused Bourbon.