Renais Gin | B Corp™

A very special (and rather emotional 😂 ) day for me this week. Every year, the Piliers of Chablis (the most senior winemakers) and other representatives from the region, welcome in a handful of new members for ‘enthronisation’ into the ‘Confrerie’ (the guild of winemakers). This is usually in recognition of services to the region, safeguarding and promoting the interests of the winemakers, and is one of a number of old traditions which has made me fall in love with this place over the last 25 years. You have to be nominated, and then vouched for by the other senior members who then read a speech about your life and how it relates to Chablis. But every year, the mayor picks one member in particular, and elects to conduct this ceremony in full view of the whole town during the annual wine festival. This year, one of the greatest surprises of my life, and proudest moments, is that the person for this year was me! Since as long as I can remember, I've watched this ceremony, and always hoped that one day I might get to join in, and do my bit to represent this region which means a lot to us. I never guessed it might happen so soon, or in such spectacular fashion. But to receive this recognition, off the back of the work with Renais Gin | B Corp™, and to hear back that this is a project which also matters to the people, and to the region, and to have the support of winemaking community is incredible. The endorsement of this project, in this way, is undoubtedly one of the coolest moments of my life and a day I won’t be forgetting any time soon.  To the people of Chablis, the Piliers (Laurent Pinson), and especially to the Mayor, thank you for welcoming me and Renais in with open arms - I promise to do my best to make you proud 🙏 . P.S - If you're ever required to neck a bowl of wine on stage in front of 500 people, and get asked how thirsty you are - don't reply with 'incredibly'. Lesson learned... Santé, Alex

Renais is officially breaking into travel retail and the world of duty free. We are delighted to announce our latest partnership with FreeWorld. Don’t forget to look out for us on your next trip!

To all our friends living in or visiting Berlin next week we’d love for you to join us at our stand at the BCB Berlin Bar Show. Renais is partnering with Dram Bar, London alongside KNF Rotavaps, OHAUS Centrifuges and BCB London to host the Dram Lab at BCB Berlin Bar Show. With live cocktail demonstrations throughout the bar show, you’ll be able to try some of our favourite expressions of Renais. And, what’s more, on Tuesday night from 8pm Renais & Dram will be doing a takeover party at Papillion, bar and restaurant in Berlin. The wonderful team behind Dram will be joining us and serving Renais cocktails made with fresh ingredients they have made on their stand at BCB during the day. For anyone attending please feel free to come along and join us for a fun and exciting night.

To all our friends living in or visiting Berlin next week we’d love for you to join us at our stand at the BCB Berlin Bar Show. Renais is partnering with Dram Bar, London alongside KNF Rotavaps, OHAUS Centrifuges and BCB London to host the Dram Lab at BCB Berlin Bar Show. With live cocktail demonstrations throughout the bar show, you’ll be able to try some of our favourite expressions of Renais. And, what’s more, on Tuesday night from 8pm Renais & Dram will be doing a takeover party at Papillion, bar and restaurant in Berlin. The wonderful team behind Dram will be joining us and serving Renais cocktails made with fresh ingredients they have made on their stand at BCB during the day. For anyone attending please feel free to come along and join us for a fun and exciting night.

We are thrilled to announce that Renais is officially a certified B Corporation - B Lab UK. Following a long and effortful certification process and in recognition of our commitment to use business as a force for good we have officially been announced B Corp Certified. This means that we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact. Joining an international network of organisations leading economic systems change to support our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. At Renais, we have always strived to be inclusive & sustainable, valuing our staff, environment, customers and community at the utmost. Feeling very proud as a team here today and we will continue to uphold our B Corp certification as we progress! Santé, Team Renais

🎧 For this week's The Spirits Business Podcast episode, I spoke to Alex Watson, who founded Renais Spirits with his sister Emma Watson. We cover everything from how family influenced the brand to terroir, sustainability and cracking that notoriously tricky market, the US. “I had been kind of ruminating on the idea for a while and talking about how we could use the leftover grape skins, including from our own family’s winery, to make something, and Emma was the one that was like, ‘you actually have to do that’. Or, you know, at the very least, ‘you have to stop talking about it – you should really go do that, and I want to be a part of it’." #sbpodcast #spirits #gin #thespiritsbusiness

Back in California, a month since we launched, and saw something pretty exciting... Feeling incredibly proud to share that Renais Spirits has made its way onto the shelves at Totalwines and is now available in all stores across California! From the initial hurdles that we overcame and the mission it was to get up and running in the US, this was such a big moment for me... I'd like to say a massive thanks to Katie (Wallace) Gallagher and Kristen Bennett from Totalwines for partnering with us, and as always to our distributors Republic National Distributing Company. Onwards and upwards !

We were excited to hear our very own Alex Watson this morning on BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme. Alex gave insights into the host Jaega Wise’s question “Why are celebrity drinks everywhere?” Talking about Renais’ heritage and how it all began with family. Listen now on BBC Sounds, https://lnkd.in/eRJwYQES

Beyond proud here at Renais to be sharing that our gin has won a Great Taste award! We’re so pleased to hear that the fantastic judges over at the renowned Guild of Fine Food agree with us on how great Renais tastes. The judges felt that Renais ‘would shine in a martini’, has ‘an attractive, delicate nose with soft minerality and grape notes’, an ‘impressive mouthfeel’, and a ‘full depth of botanicals [that] opens up well on the palate with a flavourful intensity.’ Raising a glass of Renais to the incredible panel of judges at Great Taste. Santé!

Incredibly excited to be in the conversation at least... https://lnkd.in/egJz_yyU