Renais and how the industry as a whole keeps innovating
As the Gin Guild celebrates the installation of more members in 2024, you could be forgiven for wondering how the industry keeps innovating. Our 500th member, Alex Watson and actor sister Emma’s family brand Renais Gin sums up perfectly how much more there is still to explore and create.
Hitting the market in May 2023, Renais Gin has a pedigree borne from the Watson family’s family’s deep rooted connection with Burgundy.
Alex and Emma’s father Chris Watson planted his vines in Chablis more than thirty years ago and has been producing award-winning wine ever since. He is the only Englishman to have been made a Plier of Chablis, honouring crafters of exemplary expressions of Chablis wine and safeguarding the interests of the region.
Inspired by the wine region, its artisans, and inimitable flavour, Renais Gin (meaning ‘rebirth’ in French) references the process of creating gin from upcycled grapes, and the winemaking heritage that comes before it.
At the helm of Renais Gin is Alex Watson, a seasoned professional in the drinks industry. His installation as the Gin Guild’s 500th member during the May 2024 Spring Installation was a proud moment for both him and the brand. Reflecting on his installation, Alex shares,
“It is a privilege to be part of the Gin Guild. It was a great pleasure to meet all the other distillers and gin brands and join this incredibly supportive community.”
Alex’s passion for winemaking is deeply ingrained in his family’s history. “Dad has been making wine in Burgundy for 30 years, and I wanted to create something inspired by French winemaking, the region, and our family’s passion for Chablis,” he explains. With a background in the premium spirits industry at Diageo, Alex identified gin as the perfect medium to channel this inspiration. “There aren’t many grape spirit gins, and I thought gin was the perfect vehicle and inspiration.”
Developing Renais Gin was a meticulous process. “We tailored the wine process; upcycling grape skins from our vineyards, fermenting and distilling in France at our own vineyards,” says Alex. “Developing the gin, working out how to get the grape ethanol up to 96% proof, and how to transmit the tasting notes of French wine into the recipe was a long process, but the result was worth it.”
Renais Gin not only boasts a unique flavour but also a distinguished brand aesthetic. “We wanted to create a really special brand too, and customers love the way Renais looks as well as how it tastes,” Alex notes. “Bartenders love it too, and its versatility to be enjoyed neat but also as the perfect cocktail base; people are creating some stunning cocktails, and it’s great to visit bars and see what they are doing with it.”
The past year has been remarkable for Renais Gin. “The last year has been beyond anything we could have imagined,” Alex reflects. “We’ve built up a huge following, won Gold at the Spirits Business Gin Masters in 2023, secured distribution deals in 12 countries, and now we are part of the Gin Guild community.”
Renais Gin stands as a testament to innovation and tradition, offering a fresh perspective in the gin industry. With its roots deeply planted in winemaking heritage and a commitment to sustainability through upcycling, Renais Gin exemplifies the future of luxury spirits.
