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News
Week in pictures: 30 March – 5 April
This week in pictures saw The Organic & Vegan Masters take place in London, Louis Thomas at Claridges, and Douglas Blyde in France and the Connaught.
The Organic & Vegan Masters
The Great Scotland Yard Hotel hosted the db Global Wine Masters competition’s Organic and Vegan Masters on Thursday.
A team of illustrious judges including db editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MWtasted a collection of outstanding wines.
Claridge’s
Louis Thomas ventured to Claridge’s to feast on a foie gras and oxtail stuffed pithivier served alongside a bottle of very agreeable Ridge Lytton Spring 2011 (82% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignan), sourced from Claridge’s own wine shop.
Champagne Telmont
For the France launch of their organic cuvée, Champagne Telmont chose the humble setting of a Parisian greengrocer rather than a multi-Michelin-starred eatery.
Bottles of Réserve de la Terre, made from recycled glass, were chilled in flower pots rather than ice buckets. The expression shuns herbicides, synthetic pesticides, synthetic fungicides, and synthetic fertilisers, while also avoiding gift boxes and the use of air freight.
Ahead of Earth Day, the UK launch will take place on 15 April at Saatchi Gallery, coinciding with a private view of Extraction / Abstraction by Edward Burtynsky, an artist who has captured how humankind has shaped the landscape of the planet.
X MUSE
To The Connaught, where Scottish heritage barley vodka brand, X MUSE united 10 “Muses”, arguably titans of the bartending industry, with their nominated bartenders. The latter will go on to compete to create a duet of bespoke cocktails – one drawing inspiration from the art world, and the other, their interpretation of the perfect vodka martini. The launch, held in the art-inspired surroundings of inner sanctum, The Red Room, starred X Muse-enriched cocktails and food pairings authored by The Connaught’s Agostino Perrone and team, and a mix of visual theatre, and innovative and expressive cocktails from X MUSE Bartending Winner 2023, Ali Polyakov, as well as global mixologist and cocktail expert, Jean-Vital Castellani.
Judging will occur at London’s Silverleaf in April, culminating at the brand’s spiritual home, Jupiter Artland, in Edinburgh in May. The winner will be invited on a private tour of the Paris+ par Art Basel fair, followed by a tour of the city’s bars, with entry, too, to the Venice Biennale, Edinburgh Arts Festival and Frieze London.
Bruce Jack
Winemaker Bruce Jack has opened a cellar door on the 6th floor of The Hyde Hotel in London Road Sea Point, Cape Town.
Jack@Skye boasts a stunning panorama that showcases Cape Town in all its glory, encompassing Table Mountain, Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, the Atlantic Ocean, the vibrant city skyline and of course the most beautiful sunsets.
There’s no better way to soak up all that Cape Town has to offer than to sit on top of the world, sipping on your favourite Bruce Jack wine.
The Wine Tasting Shop
To mark the change in season, The Wine Tasting Shop in Balham hosted its grand spring tasting. Guests enjoyed a selection of more than 50 wines.
The Wine Tasting Shop team comprising co-founder Rex Rosales and head buyer Cris Datcu, as well as wine advisors and representatives from its suppliers, Swig Wines , Gusbourne, Roberson, Liberty, and RAKQ.
The Wine Tasting Shop also recently launched a new online wine store is a thriving bar, bottle shop and tasting room that has become a neighbourhood hangout for wine lovers across South London.