Week in pictures

Our weekly round-up of where we’ve been, what we’ve seen and who’s done what takes in the beautiful people of Henley, naked wine folk and Benevolent bike-riders.

Andrew Shaw (r) shows little sign of intimidation alongside former French rugby international and winemaker Gerard Bertrand at the Semillons show at Vinopolis in London last week to raise funds for the Everyman male cancer charity.

Adventurer Bear Grylls, the youngest Briton ever to climb Everest and one of the founding members of Champagne G.H. Mumm’s Cordon Rouge Club, in Poole preparing for his next challenge. He is shortly to navigate the treacherous North West Passage (a sea route through the Arctic Ocean connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific) at the helm of a rigid inflatable boat.

db‘s Rupert Millar (l) and Bert Cason soak up some rays at the Henley Regatta in south Oxfordshire.

Meanwhile Regatta-goers enjoy picnics, cocktails and Champagne by the riverside as the sun beats down.

The db team, kindly hosted by Foster’s EMEA PR manager Chris Stroud, enjoyed the Regatta slurping down a selection of Wolf Blass wines.

Not content with producing some of the world’s best Cognac, Hine also allow guests to sample the delights of its own range of toiletries, including this shampoo and shower gel set, when visiting its estate.

Alexandre Quintin, brand ambassador for Louis XIII, conducts a tutored tasting of the exclusive Grande Champagne cognac at the Masterpiece London fair at Chelsea Barracks.

Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding gets in on the Henley action at the Mahiki area, where Gallo showcased its range of wines and cocktails. Harding is seen holding the new Gallo Rosito serve.

db attended the launch of Black Moth vodka at 33 Portland Place in Londonlast week. The spirit is infused with the flavour of black truffle and proved a surprisingly versatile cocktail base.

At the Black Moth launch, we were served a number of dishes cooked using truffles and the vodka, including this spectacular lobster, crab meat and quail’s egg starter.

The iconic Stag at Hine’s estate on the banks of the River Charente in Cognac, France, looks back in the direction of Dorset in England – the home of the House’s founder Thomas Hine, who left the UK in 1791 to seek his fortune in France.

Members of the Benevolent bike ride team, lead by Mentzendorff’s Andrew Hawes and Alan Montague-Dennis, continue their journey through France on their 375km ride from Calais to Champagne.

Don’t forget to send your own pictures to info@thedrinksbusiness.com

db, 12.07.2010