The week in pictures

Josh O’connor. Image: Holly Clark Photography

Champagne Taittinger partnered the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), which took place on 10 December at Old Billingsgate and were hosted by award-winning actor and writer Mark Gatiss. This year Best Actor was won by Josh O’Connor for Gods Own Country and Best Actress went to Florence Pugh for her role in Lady Macbeth.

Florence Pugh. Image: Holly Clark Photography

Viña Errazuriz had the honour of being chosen to participate in the Nobel Banquet on 10 December 2017. The King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia, along with Nobel Laureates and other prominent guests enjoyed Viña Errazuriz’s Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2016 during the gala dinner.

Importer Flint Wines held its Christmas party on Wednesday at the Restaurant Percy & Founders in Fitzrovia. London on-trade sales representative Caroline Brangé selected some fine wines from Flint Portfolio to celebrate; one wine was poured blind to challenge the taste buds of the 16 people around the table and happened to be a 1991 Pinot Noir from Robert Mondavi Winery. They honoured the tradition of Christmas Crackers and proudly wore their hats.

Irish Distillers archivist, Carol Quinn welcomed members of the O’Reilly family, the children of the late Frank O’Reilly, and their families to the Irish Whiskey Archive in the Master Distiller’s Cottage at Midleton Distillery last week. Frank O’Reilly was a direct descendant of James Power, the man who founded John Power & Son.

Although many people brought about the formation of Irish Distillers in 1966, Frank is long recognised as the man who spearheaded the merger of John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distilleries Company.

L-R: Paulo de Tarso (Margot), Mark Gordon (Wimbledon Brewery) and Nicolas Jaouen (Margot).

db’s Phoebe French enjoyed a lunch at Margot restaurant in Covent Garden yesterday to celebrate the launch of its new beer, made in collaboration with Wimbledon Brewery. The Margot-branded lager can now be ordered from the menu and comes in a frosted glass straight from the freezer.

Among the hot new bar openings this month in London is Henny’s, a micro-wine bar and bottle shop in Tooting’s Broadway Market masterminded by our very own Niall Penlington. Niall graduated with a degree in Wine Business from Plumpton College and has now pursued his dream to open his own establishment.

Paying hommage to boutique organic and biodynamic wines from Italy, France and Portugal, all of the wines on pour at the bar are available to take home at retail price. To find out more, check out the Instagram page.

Bubbly brand Luc Belaire has announced the release of a limited edition skateboard collaboration with the renowned skateboard brand Plan B. The boards will be available from drinks website 31dover.com, as an exclusive gift package when buying any 3 bottles from the Luc Belaire portfolio from 9 December.

Following the devastating wildfires in Portugal this summer which claimed the lives of over 100 people, and as part of their ongoing support to the local fire services in the Douro region, Symington Family Estates has donated a new ambulance to the Sabrosa Fire Brigade. This is the tenth ambulance donated to the fires services in the region by the company in the past decade.

The Christmas jumper game is very strong at Union Press HQ today. The winner of today’s competition was the lovely Nuria for her Aussie themed pullover.