The week in pictures

The Prince of Wales visited the Moorland Spirit Company distillery as part of a two-day tour of Northumberland, and appeared to wait very patiently while the team told him all about the gin-makers production process before they got to the tasting.

The company, which makes gin label Hepple, is undertaking a juniper restoration and propagation project on the moors around the distillery, and Charles came to learn more about its sustainability practices. 

Yes, that’s definitely what he came for. Nothing else.

Also in the world of High-Profile Individuals Associated With Drinking, Usain Bolt tried to drink Champagne in zero gravity.

Why? Mumm has launched a Champagne “designed to be enjoyed in space” (don’t ask), and tested it in a zero-gravity flight above Reims on Wednesday.

Maison Mumm had to overcome many scientific and practical challenges that the absence of gravity poses to champagne and worked with Octave de Gaulle, founder of SPADE, a design agency that specialises in creating objects for use in space, to produce the product.

did someone say ‘face-lift’? #comingsoon #number2 #pub pic.twitter.com/ooXgkCsNfn

— The Tap & Run, Upper Broughton. (@tapandrunCW) September 1, 2018

Also combining athletics and alcoho, cricketers Stuart Broad and Harry Gurney, who teamed up with pub manager Dan Cramp in 2016 to launch The Cat and Wickets Pub Company, are to open the group’s second pub, The Tap and Run, later this month.

The soon-to-be opened gastro pub in Upper Broughton, Leicestershire is the second venue in the Cat and Wickets Pub Company portfolio.

Broad, Gurney and Cramp opened their first pub in Wymeswold called The Three Crowns in August 2016.

(Photo: Grant Anderson)

In August, V&A Dundee confirmed that Dundee brewed craft beer, 71 LAGER would feature exclusively on tap at its new riverside restaurant.  With the museum set to open its doors to the public this weekend, managing director Duncan Alexander decided a photoshoot was a fitting celebration.

(Photos: Grant Anderson)

The lager will be available on tap at the new V&A restaurant and for sale in the museum’s design focused shop, while Brian Canale, executive chef for the V&A’s catering partner Heritage Portfolio, said he’ll incorporate the brewer’s IPA into the sourdough bread.

Whisky maker Glenthroes launched a new line of six, age-statement, single malt Scotch whiskies, all made from 100 per cent sherry-seasoned oak casks, the Soleo collection, and to celebrate the news they’ve bravely opened an honesty bar, where guests can pay whatever they think the drams are worth.

Flint Wines held its USA Autumn Release Tasting at the Mandrake Hotel on Wednesday showing the new releases from their top producers in California, Oregon, Washington State, and New York before they arrive in the UK in the next 6 months. Flint’s Master Sommeliers Caroline Brangé and Gearold Devaney were clearly very excited.

Also running its Autumn tasting this week was Bibendum, which featured a battle between Pinot Noirs & light skinned varietals. There was also a merch stand this year, with proceeds going to drinks industry charity The Benevolent, which provides support to those in the trade struggling with their mental health.

Poshest Cocktail of the Week came courtesy of  Andrea Mellis, from the Blue Bar at The Berkley Hotel, London, who came up trumps in the Art of Italicus Challenge at the Gong Bar, Shangri-La Hotel, on Monday night.

Up against the likes ofAlex Walker, from the Artisian Bar at Langham Hotel and the Groucho Club’s Miriam Nini, Mellis’ winning wine-based serve — The stolen Bike — mixed citrusy, bergamot-laced liqueur Italicus with Chardonnay, gentian bitters, coconut whay cordial and topped with soda. Naturally, dahling.

Just like a beauty pageant, Mellis is now the UK representative for the global finals, which are set to run in Milan in Novermber. The winner will be invited to participate in a workshop at the American Bar at the Savoy, London.

Wine slebs were spotted at Londrino when Bodegas Roda launched the latest vintage of their flagship wine, the Cirsion 2016 at Londrino, and marked the occasion with a tasting of its verticals of the wine at the Masterclass, including 2001, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2015.

Jancis Robinson MW praised “the freshness and fineness of the tannins of this new vintage.”

This week in Champagne Porn, our resident MW and editorial overlord Patrick Schmitt rocked up to boutique retailer The Finest Bubble’s vintage masterclass on Thursday.

Phwoar

Wrap your eyes around these beauties!

Essi Avellan MW, Finland’s first Master of Wine.guided guests through the following Champagnes and vintages to show how Champagne can age gracefully. in descending order, we’ve got Louis Roederer 2012 v 2002, Pol Roger 2009 v 2002, Taittinger 2012 v 2002 Dom Perignon 2009 v 1996, and (wait for it), Charles Heidsieck 2005 v 1983.

No that’s fine Patrick, we didn’t want to go anyway.

On Thursday night db’s Niall Penlington (not pictured) attended the crayfish party at Aquavit in St James Market, where restauranteur Philip Hamilton looked very dapper indeed.

For those not up to speed with their Scandinavian calendar,a crayfish party is a traditional summertime eating and drinking celebration in the Nordic countries. The tradition originated in Sweden, where a crayfish party is called a kräftskiva.

It traditionally happens in August, but Aquavit sent off the summer in style with its own do.

Scrum half Max Green was named man of the match after Bath Rugby’s first home game of the season, and celebrated his win with a magnum of Pol Roger Brut Reserve Champagne.

In other Pol Roger related sporting news, Tim Price, winner of the 2018 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, was awarded a Jeroboam of Pol Roger Brut Reserve as the house is the official Champagne of the event.

Cricket writer turned wine writer Geoffrey Dean must have felt right at home when he met cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham at the Hilton Ageas Bowl Southampton, where Botham hosted a lunch to show off his new range of Australian wines. During what turned out to be an epic meal, Botham revealed to Dean that he was seeking to partner up with an English wine estate on a premium sparkler he plans to sell for around £45.

db’s Lucy Shaw headed to Hide in Mayfair this week to explore the velvety and supremely elegant Riojas of boutique estate Remirez de Ganuza, based in Rioja Alavesa. The lavish lunch was hosted by the estate’s co-owner, José Ramón Otasun, who spoke candidly about the new classification system in Rioja and whether or not it benefits small estates like Remirez de Ganuza, and the best way forward for the global promotion of Rioja.

During the lunch we enjoyed a selection of wines from the Remirez de Ganuza portfolio, including a barrel-fermented white, a carbonic maceration easy drinking red, and top drop like the estate’s Gran Reserva 2005.

But man cannot survive on wine alone, so we were also treated to Ollie Dabbous’ tasting menu, which began with a selection of cured meats wrapped around bones and skewered onto feathers.

Among the highlights of the main dishes was a plate of cured wild salmon in a crème cru topped with caviar, which was daringly paired with the 2005 Gran Reserva.