The week in pictures

Earlier this week db‘s own Patrick Schmitt MW made his way down to Mother Kelly’s Bottleship in Bethnal Green to help judge the Global Beer Masters 2016 where he was joined by beer buyer and blogger Mitchel Adams; beer sommelier and consultant Jacopo Mezzeo; The Institute of Brewing and Distilling’s technical officer Shane McNamara; Beer Hawk’s beer sommelier Maggie Cubbler and French craft beer blogger Thomas Barbera.

Villa Sandi celebrated the extraordinary success of its Prosecco in the UK and its commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly production at an event for Slow Food in the UK at Highgrove, and managed to rope in a special guest – Prince Charles.

The event, last held five years ago, brought producers, farmers, chefs and leading opinion formers together – all sharing the core values which are integral to Villa Sandi: quality, environmental sustainability and family tradition.

Champagne Pol Roger was the official sponsor of The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, which took place from 5-7 August. The event, which included show jumping, a cross country course and a Shetland pony grand national, was blessed with sunny skies.

The Pol Roger Lodge overlooking the main arena, designed to recreate the warmth and bonhomie of a ski lodge, offered the perfect viewing platform and a place to enjoy a flute of Pol Roger Brut Reserve.

Andrej Malic of Celebrity Cruises has been crowned Diageo Global Travel’s best bartender at the Diageo Reserve World Class final held on Wednesday night in the Diageo 396 Bar in Miami.

Alex “A-Rod’ Rodriguez announced his retirement from professional baseball at an emotional press conference earlier this week, but celebrated the end of a glittering career with a $12,000, 12-litre bottle of Armand de Brignac champagne. Fear not, though, as the New York Yankees are still footing the bill for the remainder of his $27 million contract, so he can afford to live a little.

A cheeky squirrel broke into a supermarket this week and decided to take advantage of the special offers on the Blossom Hill.

A hail storm in the Languedoc region caused some serious damage to this vineyard in Pic St Loup. These pictures were taken just before and after the storm hit.

A 24-year-old German man has been crowned the official “wine queen” of the town of Kesten in the Mosel after no women put themselves forward for the role. Law student Sven Finke gallantly stepped up to the plate last Friday and will maintain the title of “Bacchus Castanidi” for a year. Just 350 people live in Kesten and none of its female residents fancied the job of representing its 25 wineries.

“After the present wine queen added a third year to her duties because they couldn’t find a successor, I jokingly said that I would take the wine queen job,” Finke said.