The week in pictures

Gruppo Campari celebrated the illustrious careers of its two longest-serving spirits makers this week; Joy Spence, master blender at Appleton Rum and Eddie Russell, master distiller at Wild Turkey. Both celebrate 35 years with their respective companies this year.

Joy joined the Appleton Estate as Chief Chemist in 1981 and was appointed to the position of Master Blender in 1997. Russell began his career at the distillery in 1981 as a relief operator, eventually becoming a supervisor of new production and then a warehouse supervisor. He was appointed Wild Turkey Master Distiller in January 2015.

Their milestones were marked by Gruppo Campari with a dinner at The Club at the Ivy in London, accompanied by expertly mixed Mai Tais, Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Boulevardier cocktails – the latter being a mix of Wild Turkey Bourbon, sweet Vermouth and Campari.

A selection of South American wineries represented by Phipps PR celebrated the end of the 2016 harvest with a colourful harvest party in London.

Wines from Argentina’s Bodega Argento and Vistalba, and Uruguay’s Bodega Garzón, were on pour while guests were entertained by a performance of Argentina’s traditional dance, the tango.

(L-R) Arnaud Desplechin, László Nemes, Kirsten Dunst, President George Miller, Valeria Golino, Katayoon Shahabi, Vanessa Paradis, Mads Mikkelsen and Donald Sutherland

Bordeaux wine brand Mouton Cadet once again took centre stage at the Cannes International Film Festival 2016, which closed last week with the Palme d’Or award, which was received by British director Ken Loach for his film “I, Daniel Blake”. 

New Zealand producer Cloudy Bay were once again represented at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show with fourth entry created by landscape designer Sam Oven. The garden plays on Cloudy Bay’s 30-year heritage, with the garden is inspired by nature and intended to mimic the layers of complexity that make up the producer’s Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The Cloudy Bay Garden will be on show at the 2016 RHS Chelsea Flower Show until 28 May.

Ian Morden, Cloudy Bay estate director

Cloudy Bay’s bar at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show provided a welcome oasis to escape the crowds.

A bustling promenade at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Beautiful blooms…

This year the Aviation cocktail will celebrate its 100th year, first appearing in print in Huge R Ensslin’s cocktail book Recipes for Mixed Drinks in 1916. The Aviation is made from a blend of gin, Luxardo Maraschino, lemin juice and créme de violette. To mark the milestone Gareth ‘G’ Franklin, brand ambassador for Luxardo, is launching the Luxardo Aviation Society, with plans to make Aviation on board his flight to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans in July, where he will be inviting bartenders to discover contemporary new twists on the original.

Heineken celebrated a win at the Edie Environment and Energy Awards, winning the Environment Product Innovation award for its beer and cider dispense system, SmartDispense. The dispenser reduces energy use by 20% and water by 75% and was developed following £5m of research. It is now present in over 3,000 UK on-trade outlets, cutting the environmental footprint and saving outlets around £2,000 a year on their bills.

As the Chivas Masters Cocktail Competition continues, three bartenders are celebrating winning their national heats. Reynier Ernesto Rodriguez from Melia Cohiba bar in Havana took home the title for Cuba…

 ….while Tomáš Melzer from Hemingway Bar in Prague took home the tile for the Czech Republic….

… and Stanisław Domin of Literatka bar in Poland bested all of his opponents to win the Polish national final. All three will go on to complete in the grand finals in Shanghai in June for the title of Chivas Global Master.

db’s Lucy Shaw was tickled pink when she got to interview one of Britain’s best-loved chefs, Michel Roux Jr, at Roux at the Landau at The Langham hotel in Marylebone. The interview exploring the Roux’s passion for wine, which can be read here,  took place at the hotel’s multiple award-winning Artesian bar.

After the interview it was time for lunch at The Landau, which included a citric starter of lobster, kaffir limes and tomatoes from the Isle of Wight.

The meal ended on a sweet note with a divine coconut soufflé and pineapple sorbet, twisting on Roux’s famous cheese soufflé at Le Gavroche.

Sexy Fish in Mayfair got into the spirit of the Chelsea Flower show by creating a giant clown fish crafted from 7,000 lilies and 1,000 hydrangeas.

Even the staff got in on the act, donning eye-catching floral suits and waistcoats for the duration of the show.

… As did Scott’s in Mayfair, which boasted a chic pair of green guardians at its door that reminded us of a character in a Salvador Dalí painting.

To mark the show, Daphne’s created a Tropical Botanica installation and served Veuve Clicquot Rich and Rosé Champagne cocktails.

It’s an ice lolly, but not as you know it… Pastry chef Sarah Barber has created a new menu of sweet treats at her dessert only restaurant at the Café Royal hotel. Among the new delights on offer are Strawberry and Cream Lollipop with poached strawberries and vanilla creme.

The Wham Bam Pow comes a Lichtenstein-inspired box filled with an olive oil biscuit and passion fruit and ginger chocolate popping candy.