Week in pictures: 8-14 July 2023

This week in pictures features the journey of Malbec to Argentina, a masterclass in mixology at a new London forum, and a 40-year anniversary celebration of an Israeli vineyard.

Malbec Mon Amour

On Monday, Argentine wine icon Dr Laura Catena (pictured here with her latest book: Malbec Mon Amour and db events manager Isabel) hosted a Catena Zapata tasting and lunch at Angler restaurant in Moorgate.

Guests were kept on their toes by a back-and-forth, topsy-turvy flight of Malbec Argentino vs Nicolás Cabernet Malbec (feat. ‘06, ‘10 and ‘19 vintages) before being treated to a unique performance by actress Tina Baston—”to honor Malbec’s legendary 2,000-year history from France to its rebirth in Argentina”.

Dr Catena was announced as WSET’s new Honorary President earlier this year, taking over from Paul Symington CMG.

African and Caribbean Cuisine and Culture Forum

Alex Akanbi’s mixology masterclass proved a highlight of London’s inaugural African and Caribbean Cuisine and Culture Forum this week.

Launched by the leading black culinary collective, The Future Plate, it is in partnership with Amarula  – the award-winning South African cream liqueur and gin range. The two-day conference brought together black chefs, makers of change and culture carriers, united in the vision of putting African and Caribbean cuisine on the culinary map. Presented by British TV Personality Ayo Akinwolere, he hosted a series of thought-provoking panel discussions, keynotes, and live demonstrations.

The cocktail workshop saw Akanbi (100 Wardour Street, Smokey Kudu and Tribe) take visitors ona discovery of regional ingredients, provenance and flavours, exploring the cornerstone of Spirit of Africa, Amarula, with its cream liqueurs and new gin, which are distilled from the exotic marula fruit. An enhanced martini-fused Amarula gin with the rising heat of The King’s Ginger, and textural sake, while the Espresso Martini combined, unusually yet successfully, not vodka, but Amarula gin with Amarula Ethiopian Coffee Cream, evoking, sumptuously, butterscotch flavoured Angel Delight.

“As a chef who sees a half-finished plate, I get offended if I see a half-finished drink,” joked Akanbi, as examples of the drinks were distributed.

thefutureplate.com, amarula.com

Golan Heights

Golan Heights Winery is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year with a grand celebration held at the winery in Katzrin, Israel.

The winery was established in 1983 by eight local cooperative communities and has made its mark on the Israeli wine world ever since. Imported by Yarden Inc in the US, Golan Heights Winery produces three labels with a range of varieties and styles.

For the past 40 years Golan Heights Winery has developed its production and created a nursery and propagation block, partnering to supply clean virus-free plant material to the emerging Israeli wine industry, and being the first in Israel to adopt the Lodi rules from California; a global standard in sustainable certification.