Week in pictures

db‘s Marinel FitzSimons spent part of her holiday travelling through the Rhône, snapping a few landmarks on the way. Here, the famous chapel above Tain l’Hermitage…

…and here a view of the river Rhône from Condrieu.

At one of the few wineries where everyone wasn’t on holiday, Jóan Berthon of Delas found time to give a quick tour and tasting as well.

Neil McDonald ‏(@neilmcd1980) sent us this photo on Twitter. Not sure where he found it and we can’t help but feel slightly dubious as to its marketing pitch.

Meanwhile, in Spain, for the second year running the Vuelta a España’s first mountain circuit – a gruelling 153.3km ride – got underway from Bodegas Faustino’s winery in Oyon.

Bordeaux wines were served in the courtyard of Somerset House, the setting for the Film4 Summer Screen UK premiere of “On the Road”, the adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s beat classic, starring Sam Riley and Kristen Stewart. Bordeaux wines were served for the whole 12 day festival, which included showings of films such as Apocalypse Now.

Clearly not content with his entry in db‘s seminal work on red trousers in the trade, Pol Roger’s Nick James sent us this glamour shot while en route to Silverstone. However, now the petrol heads in the office would now like an equally glamorous and completely gratuitous shot of the Jag, guys?….

The lovely girls at Sauce model their hard hats and high vis vests during a recce of the New Street Wine Shop within the Old Bengal Warehouse, due to open later this month.

Young man, there’s no need to feel down. Food and wine writers Ben Norum and David Harfield channel The Village People during a tour of the Old Bengal Warehouse in Liverpool Street.

Everyone seems keen to stress their pantalon rouge credentials these days. A mysterious pair of scarlet pins appeared in db‘s inbox recently. Any idea whose they might be?

db stumbled across this curious ensemble at the super-secret Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town bar, reached by walking through a cream Smeg fridge at The Breakfast Club in Liverpool Street – keep it on the QT.

Judges from all over the world scribble and slurp during the first London Sake Challenge at Harrods, organised by Nipponophile Xavier Chapelou.

Want to know how to keep your labels looking this good after 75 years? Wrap them in straw. This wooden case of Rauzan-Gassies 1937 is on display at Mayfair’s latest and most upmarket wine shop, Hedonism Wines. Buyer Alistair Viner said he was amazed at the condition of the wines, and attributed it to the careful – and environmentally sensitive – packaging.