The week in pictures

Actress Mila Kunis was revealed as the new face of Jim Beam’s ‘Make History’ campaign. The advertisement will premiere in the UK on 17 March and will roll out across global markets over the next few months.

Wine journalist and PR Paola Tich enjoys star treatment at the BAFTA Film Award’s “style suite” at London’s Savoy Hotel during a practise run ahead of the big show on 16 February.

VIP treatment will be provided to stars on the night of the awards ceremony, courtesy of Villa Maria and Taittinger; BAFTA’s official drinks partners.

Actor-turned-winery owner Sam Neill of Two Paddocks in Central Otago enjoys the New Zealand sunshine with TV wine personality Olly Smith.

Team db enjoyed a “wine blending” masterclass hosted by Ramón Bilbao, based in the Rioja Alta, at the Hispania restaurant in London.

db attended the annual Australia Day wine tasting at the Royal Horticultural Society in London where more than 70 representatives from wine regions across Australia showcased their best wines.

Lindley Hall was packed throughout the day as the trade turned out in force for the tasting. More than 700 trade members attended throughout the seven hour session and the event is being hailed as heralding a “re-awakening” for Australian wine in the UK.

Alex Layton from Negociants UK shows off a new Chardonnay from Hill-Smith Estate in the Adelaide Hills at the Australia Day tasting.

Tim Wildman MW meets the star of the Henschke show, just one of the wineries to feature in a new Australian wine tourism venture called Vineyard Safaris. Led by Wildman, the tours promise “unparalleled access and ‘wow’ factor experiences for wine lovers” by linking some of South Australia’s top producers into a high end tourism experience. For more of a flavour of the line up, click here. 

The Savoy’s Gondoliers Room was packed with UK wine writers and buyers keen to try Cristal’s latest release from the 2006 vintage as well as its 2005, 2004, 2002, 1999, 1995, 1990 and 1979 expressions, as well as its rosé from 2005.

Leftovers from Tuesday’s Cristal masterclass in London which saw Roederer’s head winemaker Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon discuss the winemaking details of the famous prestige cuvée Champagne as well as share samples going back to 1979.

Renowned whisky writer Charlie Maclean in Warsaw, Poland. Charlie Maclean was a guest of Stilnovisti Ltd for a three day trip to talk to the Polish press about Scotch whisky.

db was lucky enough to head to new fine dining restaurant Canvas in Marylebone this week, where Swiss head chef Michael Riemenschneider is keen to kick out formal and replace it with fun. The concept of Canvas is that you design your own tasting menu from a choice of 15 different tasting dishes, split into “sea & coast”, “land & earth” and desserts. Among one of the more colourful combinations was a dish that paired venison with Swiss chocolate  and walnut brittle.

To pair with the kooky dish, Canvas’ Slovenian head sommelier, Alis Jusic, chose a spicy Saint Joseph 2008, while he matched “Grandma’s brioche bread and butter pudding” with a delicious Chinese ice wine from Château Chengdu.