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Slideshow
The year in pictures: celebrity special
Here at db, we love a good party, and the better the guestlist, the more fun we have.
We’ve decided to look back on the most glamorous moments in the world of drinks this year, from Prince Charles’ never-ending distillery tours to George Clooney’s Tequila empire.
Click through to take a look at our favourite moments from the past 12 months, not to mention the highlights from some of our awards…
December 2017
Princess Anne officially opened the Copper Rivet Distillery in Kent on Friday last week, unveiling a special plaque to commemorate the occasion.
While she was there, the Princess Royal tried her hand with the valinch with master distiller, Abhi Banik, and Bob Russell.
Also that month, the drinks trade bid farewell to David Cox as he bowed out of his role as chief executive of mental health charity The Benevolent. The Wine Show star Amelia Singer and drinks writer Caroline Hampden-White were among the guests at David Cox’s retirement bash, which took place at The Hippodrome in Leicester Square.
January
(Photo: Les Dauphins)
GQ magazine selected Rhône wine brand Les Dauphins for its London Fashion Week Men’s closing dinner at Berners Tavern, which was attended by (l-r) singer Tinie Tempah, Joe Fattorini of The Wine Show and actor Idris Elba.
(Photo: Hennessy)
As everyone in the industry knows, Hennessy cognac has a love affair with the hip-hop world. New York rapper A$AP Ferg collaborated with Hennessy at the start of the year on a creative campaign and bespoke cocktail, The Uptown, featuring Hennessy VSOP Privilège, cassis, hibiscus, cinnamon, chipotle and a dash of lemon juice.
February
February was a big month for celebrity drinks brands. Actor Ryan Reynolds bought a majority stake in Oregon-based Aviation Gin at the start of the month. “I don’t know whose idea it was to allow me into the gin business, but I can assure you there are smarter, more reasonable people in charge,” he joked. Since then, he’s launched a number of publicity stunts and promo videos, including this gem, where he interviews himself.
Meanwhile, down under, Thor star Chris Hemsworth and his Spanish wife, Elsa Pataky, paid a visit to Jacob’s Creek in the Barossa Valley as part of Hemsworth’s role as brand ambassador for the estate’s Double Barrel release.
Chris had recently provided his vocal talents for the new Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel ‘Two Barrels, One Soul’ commercial, which was released in late 2017.
“Chris really has a passion for Aussie wine and was keen to meet the team behind creating Jacob’s Creek,” chief winemaker Ben Bryant said at the time.
“We brought together those involved in growing the grapes and making the barrels alongside our winemakers to spend time having a chat over a harvest barbecue at our historic Jacob’s Creek Estate,” he said.
And to bring it back to the inner circle of wine, we would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during this exchange between wine veterans Jancis Robinson MW and Hugh Johnson during the 65th Oxford vs Cambridge Varsity blind wine tasting match…
March
Ahead of rosé season, American rocker Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse, and winemaker Gérard Bertrand kicked off the launch of their new premium Languedoc brand, Diving into Hampton Water, at the Versace Mansion in Florida during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
Meanwhile, celebrity chef Marcus Wareing opened a chic cocktail bar at the newly revamped Gilbert Scott restaurant in King’s Cross, applying his culinary expertise to the world of mixed drinks for the first time.
Called George’s Bar, a further nod to the buildings original architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, the bar will deliver a food and drink menu whereby “simple things are done well and complicated things made deliciously simple”.
April
Matthew McConaughey and Eddie Russell launch Wild Turkey Longbranch (PRNewsfoto/Wild Turkey)
While Ryan Reynolds may be cashing in on the gin boom, some prefer darker spirits. Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey launched a small-batch Bourbon in April, Wild Turkey Longbranch, which he made under the guidance of the estate’s master distiller, Eddie Russell. Refined with oak charcoals, it offers aromas of caramel and pear and has a “buttery smooth” finish.
The Dallas Buyers Club star became the face of Wild Turkey in August 2016.
During his time with the brand, McConaughey has appeared in and directed several adverts, as well as a video explaining the two-year process of producing Longbranch.
May
The sun started to shine again in May, and with it came a slew of outdoor events wineries were only too happy to keep watered. Bordeaux wine brand Mouton Cadet welcomed some of the biggest names in the film world to its new rooftop bar during this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, including actor and former American football running back John David Washington and director Spike Lee.
Meanwhile, in Blighty, Sky News presenter Sarah Hewson and Good Morning Britain anchor Charlotte Hawkins enjoyed a G&T with a twist of orange at the Silent Pool Gin garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, which mixes sleek hard landscaping with drifts of soft planting, with brand owner Ian McCulloch.
June
OK, ok, so we might be cheating slightly with this Instagram post, but name a more iconic drinking duo than these two.
Most Random Night Out of the Year goes to Lionel Richie and Ed Sheeran.
Sheeran and Richie drank all night long at a restaurant in Cardiff at the end of the month, racking up a sizeable wine bill which included a £750 bottle of Penfolds Grange 1997.
Sheeran, who had been performing at the Principality Stadium on Saturday night as part of his Divide world tour, relaxed afterwards with Richie at the Park House Restaurant and Wine Bar in the Welsh capital city.
He had apparently done his homework beforehand, according to the restaurant’s spokesperson, Sian Gunney.
Speaking to The Sun, Gunney said: “Ed obviously knows his wine.
“He must have looked at the wine menu before he came because he knew exactly what he wanted. He went straight to the wine bar.”
Also inhaled on the night were an Eight Uncles Shiraz 2015 from Barossa producer Fox Gordon and The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon (£16) from Yalumba in the Coonawarra.
Sheeran, the report claims, didn’t actually order any food. Lad.
Of course, one of the highlights of June was the 50 World’s Best Restaurant Awards.
It was a poor showing from the UK, with just four restaurants included in the top 50 this year, with none in the top 10, but kudos go to The Ledbury, Dinner by Heston, Lyle’s and The Clove Club — all in London — for making the grade.
Netflix famous Osteria Francescana was this year’s winner, while Geranium from Copenhagen was recognised the third edition of the Ferrari Trento Art of Hospitality Award by excelling at turning a meal into an unforgettable experience through its service, setting, and hospitality.
Ferrari Trentodoc was the official toast at the awards ceremony in Bilbao.
And lest we forget, June was also the month that author and Somm3 star Jancis Robinson launched her own range of glassware. Called the 1 Collection, the latest addition to the world of wine accessories comprises a water glass and two decanters, as well as a single glass that has been designed to offer “the best tasting experience for every wine”, whatever its style or strength.
July
“Scotchy Scotch Scotch, there it goes down, down into my belly!”
When Nicole came to work today she didn’t realise she’d be taking a Hollywood movie star on tour!!! Delighted to show Will Ferrell around our wee distillery today! 🤩🥃🎬 pic.twitter.com/kwbj2rrVrL
— Tomatin Whisky (@Tomatin1897) June 29, 2018
A tour guide at Highland whisky distillery Tomatin got more than she bargained for at the start of July when Anchorman star Will Ferrell popped in for a surprise visit.
Ferrel was in the neighbourhood on a golfing holiday but stopped by to share a dram, before he was given a complimentary bottle of 18-year-old single malt. Is Ferrell planning to follow fellow actor Matthew McConaughey’s footsteps in partnering with a whiskey/y label? His Anchorman alter-ego would be up for it.
Stretching the definition of “celebrity”….who remembers Chico off of the X Factor?
Things got a little wild in Islington on 5th July when the drinks business went to the launch of new tiki bar on the block Laki Kane. Our man Chico made up some of the celeb numbers.
The upstairs area is home to around a dozen miniature distillers designed for rum-making masterclasses. Guests can take a miniature of their own blend home with them, and the bar is working on its own signature rum.
More importantly, after roughly seven measures of rum each, one thing led to another and we ended up partying with Chico. Nice guy.
Also in July, Hollywood director Steven Soderbergh launched his Singani 63 brand – a Muscat of Alexandria-based spirit made in Bolivia – in the UK at Flemings hotel in Mayfair.
Soderbergh fell for the Bolivian spirit 11 years ago while shooting the film Che in Bolivia with Benicio del Toro. Teaming up with Casa Real, a Tarija-based distillery, the result is Singani 63 – named after his year of birth.
August
Rum is always a big deal at Notting Hill Carnival, so it’s only natural that Bacardi would sponsor the festival’s Powis Square Stage, where Major Lazer headlined along with Mr Eazi, Giggs and Stefflon Don.
Artists were hosted by the drinks brand in the the Tabernacle — the VIP area for the weekend — and enjoyed a range of artist-inspired cocktails made with, you guessed it, Bacardi.
August was a lucrative month for celebrity distillers.
This summer we found out that sale of his Tequila brand, Casamigos, to drinks giant Diageo last year, has made him the highest paid actor of 2018.
Clooney made a cool $239 million in the past 12 months, despite not appearing in a single film, beating second place former wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who made $124 million.
Clooney earned more than all top ten actresses combined on Forbes’ annual list. The 57-year-old father of two sold Casamigos, the Tequila brand he co-founded in 2013 with friends Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman, to Diageo for $1 billion last June.
September
September saw an Ibiza-based restaurant backed by professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, tennis star Rafael Nadal and singer Enrique Iglesias open its doors for the first time.
The 100-cover venue in London will be hospitality group Zela’s first foray beyond the Mediterranean isle of Ibiza, where its flagship restaurant opened in May 2017 in the high-end Marina Botafoch neighbourhood, writes Eater.
October
We held our first-ever Wine & Spirits Show in Embankment this August, and boy was it a doozy.
Following on from the success of The Wine Show Chelsea, The City Wine Show and Spirited, the new team took to One Whitehall Place, part of the five-star hotel The Royal Horseguards, for this year’s Wine & Spirits Show.
Held on 12 and 13 October, the show was open to the trade and consumers, and featured separate wine and spirits halls, together with a gin and tonic bar and rooms in which masterclasses were conducted.
We even held a little tasting session with Jackie Fast, one of the contestants of BBC’s Apprentice series, who recently launched her own ice wine label.
Former rugby star Jonny Wilkinson became the latest celebrity to enter the drinks game, and is on trend with his No.1 Kombucha brand, made from fermented green tea. Wilkinson hopes to widen the appeal of kombucha in the UK, particularly among millennial consumers.
And Prince Charles toasted the news of a new royal baby during a trip to Balmoral, Scotland, where he met staff at the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. During his visit, HRH was treated to a barrel tasting of Royal Lochnagar single malt, which was laid down for him 30 years ago.
For more pictures of Charles looking very, very happy that his royal duties include distillery tours, click this link.
November
Pr guru Anne Burchett was in fine fettle at The Drinks Business Green Awards, held at the super swish The Club at The Ivy in Covent Garden, which saw the green giants of the wine and spirits world honoured at our annual ethical extravaganza, hosted by Patrick Schmitt MW.
Aside from our own party, the celebrity bash of the month was held at Marylebone Italian restaurant Fucina, which has just had its annual festive makeover and invited the movers and shakers of London’s high society to take a look.
VIP guests included: model Zara Martin, other model Clara Paget, other model Nella Ngingo, Dua Lipa’s “fit chef” boyfriend Isaac Carew, TV presenter Pips Taylor, fashion photographer Alistair Guy, fashion writer and self-styled Queen Sloane Henry Conway, art dealer Jean-David Malat, male model Kit Warrington, other male model Omari Phipps, glamour model-turned athlete Nell McAndrew, and last but not least, wine merchant and husband to Princess Eugenie Jack Brooksbank (sans Eugenie).
Brooksbank, as some readers may already know, has multiple interests in the wine and spirits industry, and was recently named the UK brand ambassador of George Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila, as well as being the founder of his own wine merchant business.
Last time we heard of Brooksbank playing out, he was manning the bar at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding and dishing out tequila cocktails. This time, he had the night off.
December
Chris Noth and db editor Lucy Shaw get cosy.
And this month…
Chris Noth (AKA “Mr Big” off of Sex and the City) told us he believes his recently acquired Ambhar Tequila is “better” than fellow actor George Clooney’s Casamigos brand.
Noth acquired a majority stake in Ambhar Tequila for an undisclosed sum in September. Clooney’s Casamigos Tequila brand was bought by Diageo last summer for US$1 billion.
Noth was in town on Tuesday for the Cigar Smoker of the Year competition (yes, really), held at the Belgravia branch of posh Scottish resto Boisdale. Those familiar with the venue and its owner, Ranald MacDonald, will know it is one of the best places to smoke a cigar in the city. Noth, of course, won the top prize.
Meanwhile, Bacardi released a series of short films co-directed by actor Michael B. Jordan on Wednesday to promote its recently-launched range of premium dark rums.