The week in pictures

Courtesy of Taittinger, db was treated to a night of decadence in the sumptuous surroundings of the Grill Room of the Café Royal in Piccadilly, where Oscar Wilde was said to have first wooed his long-term lover Bosie. The soiree was put on by Taittinger’s UK importer, Hatch Mansfield, to celebrate the launch of the 2005 vintage of the house’s prestige cuvée, Comtes de Champagne.

During the evening, Taittinger’s president, the ebullient and irreverent Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger delivered an impassioned speech about the brevity of life and the importance of seizing moments of pleasure while we can, preferably with a glass of Taittinger in hand while we’re at it.

Finally… we couldn’t help but be momentarily distracted by this racy ceiling painting, which perhaps provided some of the inspiration for Pierre-Emmanuel’s speech.

Inspired by practices in New Zealand and Australia, this week, hundreds of sheep are being be put out to graze across Nyetimber’s vineyards in West Sussex following the successful launch of the scheme in 2012. This year, Nyetimber has recruited a further 150 sheep who will join the existing 250-strong flock to help mow the lawn for the English sparkling wine estate.

Veuve Clicquot cellar master Dominique Demarville and winemaker Cyril Brun joined Tom Stevenson at Christie’s in London for a Champagne masterclass exploring the “magnum effect”. The evening marked the first time a tasting comparing Veuve Clicquot from bottle and magnum has been held in the UK.

Attendees at the Veuve Clicquot event tasted Yellow Label from both formats based on the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages and ended the evening with a spectacular 1953 base Yellow Label from magnum drawn from the maison cellars and brought over especially by Dominique and Cyril.

Edmund and Rosie Weil, owners of London’s Nightjar bar, celebrate the venue’s third birthday with a big shindig at the bar.

TV presenter Kelly Brook celebrates the opening of her new bar venture the Steam and Rye in London’s Leadenhall Street with chef and Sunday Times writer Gizzi Erskine. Brook has opened the bar with Nick House, the man behind Whisky Mist, Punch Bowl, Mahiki & Bodo’s Schloss.

Employees from UK bottler and distributor Kingsland Wines & Spirits and its brands and agency division, Legacy Wines, celebrate after exceeding their fund raising target following a trek along the Great Wall of China in aid of Brain Tumour Research. The team had a target of £30,000, but managed to exceed all expectations and raise a staggering £40,880. Congratulations to everyone involved.

This week Maxxium UK launched The Maker’s Mark Bartender Trove, a collection of special bar wares. The campaign launched with a Maker’s Mark masterclass at the Luggage Room at the Marriott Hotel on Grosvenor Square. Chris Lacey of Rules crafted his cocktail, Make it in Brooklyn, with a 1956 Yellow Chartreuse and a bottle of China Martini from the 1970s. His precious object from the collection was a 1950s vermouth dropper.

Mumford & Sons bassist Ted Dwayne presents his first solo photography exhibition at The London Newcastle Gallery in Shoreditch, London, held in association with Aberlour single malt Scotch whisky. Can you spot The Spirits Business deputy editor Becky Paskin?

Robinsons managing director (Beer Division) Oliver Robinson celebrates with Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson after confirmation that Sainsbury’s supermarket will now stock its popular Trooper Ale in around 300 stores across the country. Trooper has sold over 2.5 million pints since its launch on 9 May.

Guests enjoy the live music from folk legend Carlos Núnez during the UK launch of the Estrella Galicia portfolio at the Ibérica Marylebone in London. The range includes the 1906 Reserva Especial at 6.5% abv, the Estrella Galicia at 4.7% and a zero alcohol lager.