The week in pictures

Chicago-grown Hip-Hop artist Chance the Rapper accused beer brand Heineken of “baiting” consumers with racism on Sunday, with an advert featuring the strapline “lighter is better”.

The advert shows a bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken Light down the bar to a light-skinned woman, passing three black people in the process. The tagline then reads: “sometimes, lighter is better”.

“I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably racist ads so they can get more views,” he said, before calling the Heineken “terribly racist”.

Heineken’s advert, which was released in the US this year, has now been pulled by the drinks firm amid a fierce backlash on social media.

Also in the Hip-Hop arm of the drinks trade, the Wu-Tang Clan is adding a premium vodka to their range of liqueurs to mark their 25th anniversary.

The group launched into the world of spirits in 2017 with four flavoured liqueurs: Original, Strawberry/Lime, Butterscotch and C.R.E.A.M., named after their 1993 hit by the same name.

Available exclusively in Australia, next month the clan will add a vodka to the range, marking their 25th anniversary, at an event in Sydney that will feature performances from hip-hop star Jay Sean and musician Timomatic.

They say alcohol makes you healthier, better at languages, and a better dancer, but how does it fare with boardgames? That was the question asked by journalists and sommeliers at a chess tournament in Berlin, sponsored by Bordeaux brand partner Art Russe and led by some of the world’s leading wine experts.

The competition started with a tasting of wine from the recently-christened Art Russe Collection made byChâteau La Grace Dieu Des Prieurs in Saint-Émilion. German Master of Wine Janek Schumann hosted a lunch for the delegates which included a taste 2014 and 2015 vintages. next, they took to the boards.

The first prize was a special chess case with 6 bottles of Art Russe 2014. Italian-born Sommelier Andrea Loi took home the title, with second place occupied by Alexandre Kordeuter – head of VINUM Wines&Spirits in Alsace and Brussels.

Tuesday evening saw the relaunch of Chazalettes, a newly revived range of Vermouth di Torino, on the rooftop at Trafalgar Square St James. The brand was one of the most prominent in the history of vermouth but ceased production in the 1970s. The heir of the Chazalettes dynasty recently joined forces with the Bava Winery and have recreated the range to historic recipes.

Singer Alex Francis delighted the crowds in Old Street speakeasy Nightjar on Monday for the launch of Cognac creator Frapin’s new expression, 1270, after the distiller’s vast history. He may have only brought out his second EP late last year, but does the budding star already have his eyes on a spirits brand of his own? He wouldn’t be the first celeb to break into the drinks trade.

Former Clove Club charge and the Mandrake Hotel’s star sommelier Bert Blaize came up trumps in Flint Wines’ Top Young Sommelier competition earlier this year, winning the chance to make and sell his very own blend. This week, he fulfilled his destiny.

On Wednesday he visited the family estate of Château Pesquié located in Ventoux earlier to get to work. The wine will be distributed across the UK later in the year by Flint Wines.

Last week the Ace Hotel held a launch party for the latest gallery exhibition taking over its revamped Lobby Bar, featuring emoji prints from visual artist, Matthieu Lavanchy.

Guests were treated to the Lobby Bar’s new cocktail and bar bites menu while enjoying Lavanchy’s specially-commissioned art prints that brought to life some of the world’s most-loved food emojis to life for the cover issue 10 of contemporary culture tome The Gourmand, all while DJs from Horse Meat Disco spun the decks.

Ryder Cup partner Baron Philippe de Rothschild SA unveiled its limited edition Mouton Cadet for the 2018 tournament in Paris last night.

During a celebration at the Ritz, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild unveiled the new wine, created by the American winemaker Chiara Mondavi, and
the Frenchman Pierre Lambert, master winemaker of Mouton Cadet.

The special blend will only be available at the Hyatt London and Sofitel London hotels, and served exclusively on Le Golf National premises during
the competition in September.

Jfoodo, the Three Wine Men – Olly Smith, Oz Clarke and Susy Atkins standing in for Tim Atkin with Japanese food and culture promoter Rie Yositake hold an event at Sushisamba.

The Three Wine Men joined forced with the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Centre (JFOODO) on Tuesday night to formally introduce London to sake.

The evening, which began with sparkling sake aperitifs in Sushisamba, was a mission to persuade wine enthusiasts and food lovers of the versatility of sake by pairing it with non-Japanese food, from fish and chips, to oysters to charcuterie and cheese.

Wine experts Oz Clarke, Olly Smith and Susy Atkins, and sake enthusiast Rie Yoshitake were on-hand to help with the tasting notes.

And finally, chat show host Graham Norton has added an Italian sparkler to his wine range, which already includes a Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Shiraz, with a video showing the star flexing his tasting credentials.

Norton teamed up with New Zealand wine producers Invivo to launch the brand in 2014, and is personally involved in selecting the blend from tank samples alongside Invivo’s founders and winemakers, Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, who joke that their wine is made from “grapes, time and two maxed out credit cards.”