The week in pictures

To the Governors Ball in Hollywood, where stars, TV industry bosses, and their drinks sponsors, gathered to toast the 70th annual Emmy Awards ceremony.

Anyone who has ever been to one of these knows just how long the prize-giving feels, so we don’t blame the guests for heading straight to the bar when they started the reception. Italian sparkling wine brand Ferrari was the official fizz sponsor.

We all have that one friend whose superpower is getting photos with extremely famous people. Matteo Lunelli, Ferrari’s founder, is one of them.

Here he is with Moulin Rouge star John Leguizamo.

And here he is with Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch and partner Travis Mills.

And HERE he is with John Legend.

Shameless, sir. Shameless.

Over in London, Idris Elba is opening a cocktail bar.

Called The Parrot, is expected to open in early next month at the Waldorf Hilton hotel. The bar will have its own in-house band playing covers, but the star’s team dropped heavy hints that we can expect secret shows from the stars of stage and screen in the future.

Over in Ireland, Conor McGregor has finally launched his whiskey label.

Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey, produced by Eire Born Spirits, is a blended Irish whiskey made by master distiller David Elderman. McGregor is the majority shareholder, CEO and chairman of the brand.

It wasn’t always called No. Twelve. McGregor withdrew his original trademark application for Irish whiskey brand “Notorious” last week, after facing opposition from the founder of Carlow Brewing Company.

Also in celebrity drinks launches: proving that Tequila is now the celebrity side hustle of choice, following in George Clooney’s footsteps, Sex and the City star Chris Noth has acquired a majority stake in Ambhar Tequila for an undisclosed sum.

Richard and Leslie Balfour-Lynn, producers of Hush Heath in Kent, toasted the launch of their new facilities.

db tentatively hopped on a Southeastern train down to Marden on Thursday, and thankfully, it paid off, as we alighted at Kentish winery Hush Heath without a hitch.

Hush Heath has just unveiled The View, a swish new tasting room overlooking the former City grandee-turned producer Richard Balfour-Lynn’s rapidly expanding vineyard, and held a launch party at the big house to celebrate.

Balfour Lynn told a captive audience that he wanted to “be generous…and share the journey,” and boy, he delivered. The great and good of the UK’s drinks scene, and their red trousers, were out in force. db saw The Wine Show‘s Joe Fattorini, cricketer-turned “not a celebrity winemaker” Ian Botham, and Maidstone MP Helen Grant all working the room. Balfour-Lynn was in deep talks with buyers from Tom Kerridge’s Marlow-based restaurant Hand and Flowers at the end of the nigh, and the Lord Mayor of Maidstone stayed till the lights came on.

Banking on a surge in sales for English Sparkling Wine (we really need a better name for this, guys) Cellar Door manager Joanna Snell told us they’re in the middle of planting yet more Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes on the estate.

Meanwhile, in pubs, Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars donated £30,000 to Pub is The Hub — a campaign set up by brewing execs and run by volunteers which is trying to persuade pub landlords to diversify the services available on their premises in a bid to stop the industry’s decline.

Guy Mason, Heineken’s UK head of public affairs, Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs & Bars managing director, and Pub is the Hub chief exec John Longden held a presentation at The Woolpack in Haslingden to mark the occasion.

Around two pubs are closing every day in the UK, and that’s actually an improvement. Four years ago, the figures were much steeper. Figures released by The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) found that UK pubs were closing at a rate of 29 per week in 2014.

A Bourgogne Masterclass took place in Brighton this week at the city’s resplendent Hotel du Vin on the seafront, celebrating serves from the French region.

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW led the class, which was headed up by The Bourgogne Wines Board (BIVB).

Stone brewing celebrated the 2nd birthday of its outpost in Berlin this week, with beer tastings, a quiz, BBQ food, live music and, of course, cake. Since opening Stone Brewing Berlin, the team have filled more than 7 Mio cans and brewed over 100 different beers in the brewery.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has announced the shortlist for the best 16 pubs in the country, as part of its nationwide search for the National Pub of the Year.

The boozers were deemed to be the best in the region overall based on their careful balance of the essential characteristics of a great pub: “atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix, and most importantly – quality real ale”.

Nelson Rawlins from drinks distributor La Delizia UK rocked up at the Unit Gallery in Mayfair for the launch pf photographer Adrian Houston’s exhibition, Portrait of a Tree, on Monday.

The wines came courtesy of Bosco del Merlo, part of La Delizia’s portfolio. Rawlins, naturally, couldn’t resist getting a picture with Joanna Lumley.

The exhibition featured photographs and stories shared by over 30 people from a huge array of backgrounds, from the arts and sport through to philanthropy, all focused on trees.