The week in pictures

This week in the world of drinks: Ferrari Trento announces that fans can bid to win one of five signed F1 podium Jeroboams, we visit Annabel’s to celebrate two Bordeaux greats: Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem, and local lockdown cocktail delivery heroes open their first brick and mortar store.

Ferrari Trento, the Official Toast of Formula 1, has announced that fans can now bid on five Podium Jeroboams, signed by the winners of key 2021 races, including Monaco and Silverstone.

All proceeds will go to ‘Keep Fighting‘, the charity set up by Michael Schumacher’s family, in celebration of his values to ‘never give up’.

We were lucky enough to be invited to Annabel’s in Mayfair this week, which is currently decked out to look like a gingerbread house, for a Birley Wine Club black tie dinner celebrating two Bordeaux greats: Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem.

Hosted by the CEO of both estates, a very dapper looking Pierre Lurton, the event kicked off with Krug Grande Cuvée and black truffle beignets, followed by a sprightly glass of Petit Cheval Blanc 2019 blending Sauvignon with Semillon.

After a velvety glass of the estate’s second wine – Petit Cheval 2011 – we were on to the main event, which pitted the stellar 2005 and 2009 vintages of the grand vin against each other, alongside an expertly cooked aged beef fillet served with pomme anna and smoked bone marrow sauce. It was hard to choose between the two, but Lurton’s description of Cheval Blanc’s style of making wines that taste like liquid cashmere seemed apt.

While we tucked into our puds, enjoyed with a golden glass of Yquem 2011 served from double magnums, Christie’s auctioneer Charlie Foley took to the stage to steer a charity auction of tempting lots, including a tasting and lunch experience at Cheval Blanc and Yquem hosted by Lurton, which raised a total of £102,000 for The Caring Family Foundation’s Food from the Heart campaign.

And lockdown cocktail delivery heroes The Umbrella Project have opened their first brick and mortar store in East London’s Shoreditch.

The shop will stock an extensive range of The Umbrella Project’s bottled cocktails, low intervention & natural wines, small producer spirits and Irish Whiskey, along with the largest selection of Poitin in the UK. It will also double as an interactive tasting room, where guests can discover their new favourite tipple.