The week in pictures

This week in the world of drinks: Douglas Blyde visits the pop-up G’Vine Cocktail Café, hosted by Fred Sirieix, Michele Coppola wins the Allegrini Prize, and Cockburn’s Port opens a pop-up Festive Front Room at London Bridge Station.

Champion of front-of-house hospitality turned much-televised matchmaker and now gin ambassador, Fred Sirieix launched the pop-up G’Vine Cocktail Café on Old Compton Street which ran from Thursday 8th to Wednesday 14th December and starred gin cocktails alongside cakes by Lily Vanilli. Of G’Vine Siriex noted, “we share the same roots from the inspiring southwest region of France. G’Vine is different to traditional gins because it is made with grapes not grain and this makes it very smooth… G’Vine is me in a bottle!” G’Vine was created by oenologist, founder, president and master distiller of Maison Villevert, Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, and became the third leading premium gin in the world just ten years after launching in 2006.

Michele Coppola, executive director of art, culture and historical heritage at Intesa Sanpaolo and Director of the Gallerie d’Italia has won the Allegrini Prize ‘The Art of  Exhibiting Art’ 2022, now in its tenth edition.

Pictured, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines at slumber under snow at the start of the week at leading Chilterns sparkling wine producer, Hundred Hills, described by Jancis Robinson OBE MW as an ‘immaculate wine estate’ in the Financial Times.

Vineyards of Hampshire’s annual Fairy Lights & Fizz took place at Guildhall Winchester on Friday 9th December, with nearly 400 guests turning up to the glittering festive event.

And to celebrate the season, Cockburn’s Port opened up a pop-up Festive Front Room at London Bridge Station, where visitors could come in from the cold and enjoy a free sip of Cockburn’s with their fellow travellers. Visitors also had the chance to win a large bottle of Cockburn’s Special Reserve every hour.

Have you been out and about this week? Got somewhere you think we should see? Let us know!