The week in pictures

Thierry Desseauve chats to Elie Maamari, winemaker of Chateau Ksara on db‘s Global Chardonnay Masters stand at the bettane+desseauve London Wine Experience, which took place at the Saatchi Gallery last weekend.

The London Wine Experience, which took place on Friday and Saturday pulled in large numbers on both days and featured winegrowers from Argentina, France, Italy, Spain  and Greece.

db’s Livia Xin spoke to Oz Clarke at the London Wine Experience, he said; “It’s fantastic because there’s a really a level of knowledge among the people here.They obviously targeted their market very well. I’m delighted to be here.”

Jancis Robinson OBE MW hosted a tasting and dinner for US-based WSET diploma graduates and students at the Manzanilla Spanish Brasserie in New York city last week. Jancis is pictured here with Mary Ewing Mulligan, director of WSET programs USA, David Wrigley, Ian Harris and Antony Moss, strategic planning director, WSET.

Three MWs relaxing after the recent AGM and the Institute’s 60th birthday celebrations with the help of some very fresh lobsters on the Isle of Mull. From left, Mark Savage MW, host Robin Don MW and Institute Chairman Jean-Michel Valette MW.

If you go down in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise. Shrinking violet Chester Osborn of McLaren Vale-based d’Arenberg got into the Halloween spirit this week, donning a terrifying clown mask and offering body part-shaped sweets to trick or treaters. We’re not sure what the scull and crossbones baseball bat was used for…

Always keen to keep up with the latest openings in town, db headed to Chotto Matte this week – a cavernous Japanese and Peruvian fusion restaurant in Soho adorned with graffiti murals and enough wood to build an ark. Keen to  push the concept of food and cocktail matching, we were treated to an array of liquid treasures, the highlight of which – the Samurai Barrel – blended Rittenhouse 100 Rye, Chartreuse and yuzu marmalade.

Frenchman abroad, the dashing and derring-do Nicolas Audebert, winemaker at Cheval Blanc’s Argentinian venture, Cheval des Andes in Mendoza, looks tickled pink with his platter of bone marrow at Hawksmoor Air Street, where he gathered a group of carnivorous wine hacks to present his latest vintage – 2008, and see how the estate’s first vintage, 1999, was holding up over time. Made from 60% Cabernet and 40% Malbec, the wine appeared incredibly young for its 14 years, with a lot of life in it yet.

Christmas came early for MW husband and wife team Peter Richards and Susie Barrie, who took to the slopes dressed as Santa Claus and Mary Christmas for a Saturday Kitchen Xmas special.

Francis Flavin of Davy’s Wine Merchants made sure he didn’t leave the house without his sporran before attending the annual Côtes du Rhône quiz. Unfortunately, Francis didn’t get the memo that the Halloween theme was off this year. But with his jaunty little hat and orange stripy socks, he was given a magnum of Chapoutier and an “A” for effort.

These egg cups added extra creative flair to a delicious meal hosted by Errazuriz at chef Jason Atherton’s London flagship Pollen Street Social.

As well as showing off the 2013 vintage from Errazuriz’s ongoing and ever-maturing Aconcagua Costa project, chief winemaker Francisco Baettig offered yet another example of Chile’s ever more evident creative flair in its winemaking in the form of this Roussanne/Marsanne/Viognier.

Errazuriz has just three hectares of both Marsanne and Roussanne planted and Baettig admitted it took three vintages to get this blend right. However, he added: “Chile was always Bordeaux, Bordeaux but I think we can do something really interesting with Mediterranean varieties.”

Dr Tom Pey, CEO of the Royal London Society for Blind People; Robyn Wilson, proprietor of Bleeding Heart Restaurants; Courtney Nugent, student who will be taking the WSET course in December, and Ian Harris, CEO of WSET. Both Dr Pey and Courtney Nugent are completely blind.

Spooky cocktails are prepared at the Patron XO Cafe pre-Halloween bash for the trade, which was held at The Speakeasy Club in London. Explaining the rationale behind the event, Craig Chapman, Patrón brand manager at Cellar Trends, says: “We know that the trade doesn’t always get to celebrate Halloween because they’re so busy working so we wanted to throw an industry only bash ahead of Halloween and give them a chance to indulge their dark side.”

Party-goers indulge in some Patron XO Café at this week’s trade bash.