Week in pictures

Cognac, Cullum and Christine Hamilton all in one place? It must be the drinks business week in pictures.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugene were on hand as a herd of life-size baby elephants were auctioned off to raise money for The Elephant Family to conserve the Asian Elephants. The U’luvka vodka-sponsored auction, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea,raised over £4million. The princesses are pictured with Sadhana, the U’Luvka Vodka Elephant painted by Tord Boontje.

db toasted the 56th birthday of the Pina Colada with a typically extravagent Mahiki cocktail,rustled up by Papa Jules and and his team and served inside a frozen pineapple.

Peter Franz of Sensible Wine Services and Sarah Knowles, buyer for Amathus Drinks, model the Robert Mondavi wines on offer at Jamie Cullum’s concert held at Kenwood House. 

Jamie Cullum entertains a raucous crowds as part of the English Heritage picnic concert series, sponsored by Robert Mondavi.

A snap of the three wines in the Plan Bee collection at The Co-operative. Five pence from each bottle sold will be donated to the campaign, which has a fundraising target of £45,000 to help fund bee population preservation projects throughout the UK. 

The founding members of the Marlborough Natural Winegrowers share a glass or two as they celebrate the formation of the association, which aims to promote the famous New Zealand wine region and sustainable winemaking methods. Founding members Fromm, Herzog, Huia, Seresin and Te Whare Ra share a belief in growing grapes and making wines without using chemicals.

Rémy Martin launched its "Summer Fruits" packaging concept for Coeur de Cognac at Eight Moorgate, London

Guests at the launch were treated to glasses of Coeur de Cognac, served with canapés designed to compliment the fruity, soft flavour of the drink.

British pilot Paul Bonhomme lands his Stolichnaya-sponsored plane in the Red Bull Air Race’s final race of the season at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz in Germany.

Bonhomme speaks to the press after sealing his second-consecutive World Championship title. Stolichnaya has supported Team Bonhomme throughout the series, with branding on the aircraft and the pilot’s uniform, as well as floating barges within the tracks.

The South Wales-based family-run Otley brewery marked its fifth year in business with an exclusive event at the brewery’s premises in Cilfynydd.

Nick Otley, managing director of the Otley Brewing Company, surveys his wares inside the brewery’s stock rooms.

Ever the perfect host, Otley then took to the barbecue to ensure his guests were suitably well-fed to soak up the beer.

Meanwhile Nick’s brother Matthew, a brewer at the company, takes time out from hosting the crowds with a pint and a burger.

More than 100 people including the company’s regular customers, key suppliers, beer writers and press attended the event to sample the brewery’s award-winning beers and enjoy live music and a bbq.

Celebrity Masterchef finalists Lisa Faulkner, Christine Hamilton and Dick Strawbridge outside Château de la Marquetterie in Pierry, near Epernay, France. The house was the venue for the one of the final challenges to face the trio, preparing an exclusive dinner for Champagne producers of the region.

Our colleague Andre Glazier had us all a little concerned when he turned up at the office one morning looking like something from a Freddie Kruger movie. Thankfully (and a little bit strangely) it turned out to be make-up.

db, 23.08.2010