The week in pictures

This week Matthew Clark hosted the Old World New Style tasting at M Restaurant celebrating the new European additions to its growing portfolio including producers, Dauvergne Ranvier, Borgo del Tiglio, Torre Dei Beati and many more.

The wines in the picture are from Casa Rojo and are the following: The Invisible Man Tempranillo, Rioja Alta; MMM Macho Man Monastrell; Maquinon Garnatxa; Alexander vs The Ham Factory Tinto Fino; El Gordo del Circo Verdejo, Rueda; La Marimorena Albariño, Rías Baixas.

Sir Nick Faldo and independent wine merchant, Milton Sandford Wines, have joined forces to create a range of wines from six of Europe’s classic wine regions, which were launched this week. The wines will celebrate the six Major Championships that Sir Nick has won in his career.

The Wines are: Rioja Special Selection Bodega Baigorri; Barolo Paolo Monti SARL; Sauvignon de Touraine Domaine de la Renaudie; Chablis Jean-Marc Brocard; Valpolicella le Tobele and Berthet Rayne Châteauneuf du Pape.

Sushisamba London, the celebrity restaurant located on the 38th and 39th floors of 110 Bishopsgate, celebrated its third anniversary in London this week.

Grace Jones took to the stage to entertain guests including actor Robert Pattinson and Amber Atherton, and exclusive pouring right was owned by Maison Bruno Paillard.

Hollywood actor John Malkovich has collaborated with  LOUIS XIII Cognac to created 100 Years, a film due for release on 18 November 2115. Inspired by the time and patience it takes to make fine Cognac, the film explores what the future might look like.

“In a way, I wish all the films I made wouldn’t have been seen for a hundred years, I don’t know how much that would change the way they are regarded,” Malkovich said. One thousand people have been sent an invitation for their descendants to addend the film premiere in 2115.

The Drinks Business Riesling Masters took place on Wednesday (18 November) at the recently refurbished Trinity restaurant in Clapham. The food was incredible (and plentiful!), as were the wines, with plenty of Masters medals awarded. The list of medal winners will appear in an upcoming issue of the drinks business.

db‘s Chloe Beral and former Spirits Business editor Becky Paskin went along to try out Oriole, the new bar from the couple behind Nightjar, which opened on Tuesday, where the cocktails were flying off the bar (get it?).

Bartenders Johnny Arthur and Chelsie Bailey have been crowned winners of the Appleton Estate Bartenders Challenge, a two day final designed to test finalists’ bartending skills, which returned after a three-year hiatus.

Appleton Estate senior blender David Morrison (pictured centre) and previous winner Rich Tring held the judging roles. The two winners  have each won a trip for two to Jamaica.

Campari has released the imagery for its 2016 Calendar in New York City, titled ‘The BitterSweet Campaign’, starring the American actress Kate Hudson.

The Campari Calendar, of which 9,999 copies are printed, will not go on sale but will be internationally distributed to friends of Campari around the world.

Hudson said, “For me, this project meant much more than producing a good calendar, it was a creative process telling a great story.”

As the national finals for Beefeater MIXLDN 2015 continue, the latest the winners from local competitions this week were Austria and Germany.

Lukas Hochmuth, bartender at the Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, was Austria’s national winner. His winning cocktail – Mellow Yellow – is a modern remake of Jerry Thomas’ Gin Punch, inspired by London’s tea drinking culture.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Frank Thelen sealed the top spot in his national final. A bartender at Roomers Bar, Frankfurt, Frank’s winning cocktail – the Trafalgar – is inspired by London landmark Trafalgar Square.

Selfridges in London, Birmingham and Manchester have been installed with golden Champagne photo booths that allow you to personalise bottles of Mini Moët with your mug shot. If the bottle is for a friend, iPhone photos can be turned into labels too in time for Christmas.

Proving it’s down with the kids, Hine Cognac hosted a Masterclass with Shaken Cocktails in aid of November this week.

The dream team from Insead who won the Pol Roger Inter Business School Alumni Blind Wine-Tasting Match 2016, proudly show off their spoils of victory. The 16th edition of the competition saw 10 teams take part from Harvard Business School, London Business School, Insead and Wharton.

We headed to City steakhouse “M” this week to enjoy one of the world’s most pleasurable food and wine matches – ribeye steak and a bottle of velvety Malbec, Trivento Reserve Malbec 2014 to be precise, which, at £8.99 is an absolute steal.

Hosted by Ben Smith of Concha y Toro, among the fellow wine writers at the “M” dinner was TV star Joe Wadsack, though his Food & Drink sidekick, chef Tom Kerridge, was sadly absent.

Never one to turn down the chance to try an unusual cocktail, this quirky twist on an Old Fashioned created by Rich Woods, head bartender of Duck & Waffle, tickled our taste buds with its combination of hay-infused Jack Daniel’s, salted caramel and maple.

In addition to divine food and quirky cocktails, Duck & Waffle boasts one of the most jaw-droppingly stunning views of the London skyline that reminds you why you fell in love with the capital in the first place.

And finally… we loved this arty label, based on a Cubist work by Spanish artist Juan Gris, gracing the bottle of velvety Dinastia Vivanco Rioja Reserva 2008 we enjoyed at the shiny new Ivy Café in Marylebone this week.