The week in pictures

The Diageo Reserve World Class hub has this week been hosting trade and consumers alike with a range of experiences, including the UK’s first World Class Bar, run by award-winning mixologist Ali Reynolds. The company has also launched its inaugural bartender studio, where the trade are invited to a number of sessions to learn new skills and refine techniques before entering this year’s World Class competition, which opened this week.

Last Thursday evening 140 wine trade guests and press gathered to enjoy a banquet in Kensington Palace Orangery to celebrate 125 vintages of La Rioja Alta, S.A. The dinner was hosted by Guillermo de Aranzabal, president of La Rioja Alta, S.A., who said in his opening address that it was not only a celebration of La Rioja Alta’s anniversary, “but your birthday too, because all of you are part of our winery, part of our history. There’s very little we can do without your continuous support and we appreciate it very much.” 

James Simpson MW, of Pol Roger UK, was this week at the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship, at which Pol Roger was the official Champagne. He is pictured presenting the awards alongside Her Majesty the Queen.

Pilot Tracey Curtis-Taylor is seen here holding a Jero of Pol Roger Brut Reserve prior to her departure from Farnborough Airport on 1 October in her classic 1942 Boeing Stearman ‘Spirit of Artemis’ heading for Sydney, Australia. Pol Roger supported the launch event, and guests enjoyed a glass of Pol Roger Brut Reserve before Tracey’s take-off.

A new Hennessy window at Harrods, London was launched this week. The window presents screens, housed in a unique copper claw designed by Tom Dixon, which accelerating to speeds close to 90km/h, which makes the simple imagery blend into a single image, giving viewers the illusion of smooth animations projected in 3D.

(left to right) TV presenter Olly Smith, the UK’s drinks ambassador to China, journalist Michael Yan, the China-Britain Business Council’s executive director Claire Urry, and Jo Theakston, Black Sheep Brewery’s sales and marketing director.

Food and drink writers from China enjoyed a taste of Yorkshire during a visit to the Black Sheep Brewery this week. The visitors were also joined by British food and drink broadcaster and writer Olly Smith. Rob Theakston, managing director of the Black Sheep Brewery, said: “To be selected to host this important delegation of Chinese journalists was a huge honour and a reflection of the high quality of the award-winning ales we produce here at Black Sheep Brewery.” 

On Monday (5 October), the harvesting team at Dourthe began picking the first Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on the Left Bank at Châteaux Belgrave, Le Boscq, Rahoul and Reysson and from the vines grown on Château La Garde’s gravel plateau. “The grapes show good balance, typical of great Cabernet Sauvignon,” head winemaker Frederic Bonnaffous said. “The bunches are evenly ripe with healthy, very delicate skins while the berries are small and concentrated suggesting great potential in terms of aromatics, colour and tannins, with good levels of acidity and alcohol,” he said.  “Mature Cabernet Franc vines at Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac on the Right Bank have also reached perfect ripeness this week.”

Kobus Basson, owner of South African wine brand Kleine Zalze, was one of the leading South African producers at WOSA’s Wozani tasting at South Africa House in London on Thursday. At the tasting he introduced the UK trade to two new wines: his Sauvignon Blanc from the exceptional 2015 vintage and his new Cap Classique. 

68 and Boston is the new London destination launched this week by three big names in nightlife, wines and cocktails: Eric Yu of The Breakfast Group, whose other West End outlets include Opium and The Social; Martin Malley, co-owner of Planet of the Grapes; and Luca Cordiglieri, formerly bar manager at China Tang at The Dorchester.  The all-day-to-night wine bar features a list of wines all priced at £20 per bottle. The late night cocktail bar will offer drinks from £10. 

On Thursday 1 October, guests gathered to celebrate Laphroaig’s 200th Anniversary in The Connaught, London – the hotel that itself was established in 1815. The evening celebrated the 200th anniversary of Laphroaig with an exclusive tasting of Laphroaig 15 and 32 Year Old.

Consumers and bartenders “immersed in the rich Parisian heritage” of Courvoisier Cognac at the Looking Glass Cocktail Club in Hackney, London on Thursday 8 October during London Cocktail Week. Guests were served a Courvoisier Champagne cocktail (pictured) created by bar manager Michele Reina on arrival. Hosted by MIXXIT manager Wayne Collins, they learned about Courvoisier’s connection to the Paris Golden Age and had a tutored tasting of Courvoisier XO and cocktail demonstration by Michele and guest bartender Sam Kershaw.

db lent its palate and artistic eye to help judge a cocktail competition hosted by Ghost Vodka at London Cocktail Week in Spitalfields Market on Tuesday. The competition was won by Marco from Buddha Bar for his “Flaming Ghost” cocktail, a mix of Ghost Vodka, raspberries and chilli. David Stokes, a shareholder who is passionate about promoting the brand in the on-trade, was also on the judging panel. “It was fantastic to see so many young, creative bartenders with some great ideas that really complemented the brand”, he said.

Hadrien Mouflard of Ayala gets to grips with the “press for Champagne” button at diner deluxe Bob Bob Ricard in Soho. During lunch db was treated to a bottle of the 1999 vintage of Ayala’s prestige cuvée, Perle d’Ayala…

… which paired a treat with a new dish on the Bob Bob menu – Sole Ricard, featuring a decadent Champagne hollandaise sauce and white grapes.

With London Cocktail Week in full swing, we headed to the Woodford Reserve Art of the Old Fashioned pop-up bar under the arches in Shoreditch where we were welcomed by the lovely Jessica of Stir PR, who insisted we try the Hix twist on an Old Fashioned featuring game fat-infused Woodford Reserve, which won our vote for its incredible texture and creamy mouthfeel.

No less than a dozen twists on the Old Fashioned were on pour at the pop-up, including one laced with Benedictine from Jack McGarry of Dead Rabbit in New York, one with ginger bitters and rhubarb-infused Bourbon by Matt Whiley of Peg + Patriot, and our favourite, a sweet treat featuring banana liqueur and toffee nut syrup.