Emma Watson and her brother Alex are launching a new gin that offers "an elegant taste of the Chablis wine region." 'Renais' is made with ‘up-cycled’ organic grapes from Chablis' Grand Cru vineyards, natural botanicals such as linden flowers, cubeb berries, and acacia honey.
'Renais' is inspired by the siblings' family trips to their vineyard, Domaine Watson, which their father has tended to over the years. The Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soil shelf that Chablis stands on is known for its mineral qualities. It is jam-packed with preserved marine life, which gives the wine its distinctive mineral taste.
"I think [working with my family] is partly what motivated me to start a deeply personal project like Renais," Alex explained. "Missing the connection to family, history and culture, and that’s really what drew me to working in drinks in the first place."
Actress-Backed Chablis Gins
Emma Watson Launches the 'Renais' Gin with Her Brother Alex
Trend Themes
1. Organic Grape Distillates - The use of up-cycled organic grapes from Chablis’ vineyards in Renais gin presents an opportunity for the creation of high-quality organic grape distillates.
2. Wine-inspired Botanicals - The use of botanicals inspired by Chablis’ wine region in Renais gin presents an opportunity to incorporate wine-inspired botanicals in other spirits and cocktails.
3. Family-connected Brands - Renais gin presents an opportunity for family-connected brands to create deeply personal products that reflect their cultural heritage and provide consumers with a sense of connection and belonging.
Industry Implications
1. Spirits - Spirits industry players can explore using up-cycled grapes from vineyards and wine-inspired botanicals to create unique and high-quality spirits, just as Renais gin did.
2. Wine - Wine industry players can consider offering grape distillates as an extension of their product line or as a value-added by-product.
3. Tourism - The Watson family’s Domaine Watson vineyard and their personal connection to the Chablis wine region presents an opportunity for tourism destinations to showcase the personal stories and cultural heritage of local winemakers, distillers, and farmers.