Renais Offers a Winemaker’s Perspective on Gin

What we’re drinking: Renais, a new luxury gin from England with a French winemaking twist (and a well-known founder)

Where it’s from: Co-founded by siblings Alex and Emma Watson — yes, that Emma Watson — Renais (short for “renaissance”) was launched in the UK in 2023 and in the United States earlier this summer.

Why we’re drinking this: I know, I know, another celebrity spirit? But Renais has a real pedigree: Alex is a veteran of drinks giant Diageo, and the Watson siblings’ father, Chris, has more than three decades of winemaking experience via the Domaine Watson vineyard in Chablis.

“Growing up around winemaking, the bit I always found so compelling — and why I think wine is so popular — is that lovely French word terroir,” Alex says. “But it sort of encompasses all the different environmental variables that make up wine. I just found that concept so interesting. I was wondering what would happen if you tried to apply that to a spirit and thought gin is such a good vehicle for complex flavor.”

To that end, Renais is using reclaimed French grapes as its base and a rather interesting set of botanicals, from grand cru grapes and acacia honey to cubeb berries and, oddly, Kimmeridgian stone. “Kimmerigian limestone is the soil shelf Chablis sits on and where it derives its famous mineral quality,” Alex says. “We steep our alcohol in the limestone, imparting flavor, body and texture into the liquid. We embellish this with rock salt to enhance that profile.”

Side note: if you buy a bottle of Renais here, you may notice it’s labeled as a “gin with natural flavors.” The brand does add chardonnay grape juice post-distillation, but as Alex notes, “That’s an FDA requirement and not required anywhere else in the world,” where it’s labeled as a “small batch gin.”

While Emma Watson is certainly involved in the project (see below), it’s Alex and Jack’s backgrounds that are being put forward here. “It’s a very personal project, based on our history in winemaking,” Alex says. “And the lovely thing is that the gin is really approachable and soft and easy to drink.”

Can a winemaker craft a unique gin and one that Alex Watson suggests could be the world’s first (neat) sipping gin? Let’s find out.

How it tastes: Featuring a decidedly rich mouthfeel, Renais is floral, herbal and citrusy with a lovely salinity. It’s ideal for a wide range of cocktails, particularly the Negroni Fraise, made with blanc vermouth, Aperol and strawberries. It is literally the best and most refreshing riff on a Negroni I’ve ever tasted — I downed two in about five minutes. Alex Watson offers a different suggestion. “Drink it neat over ice with a twist of lemon,” he says. (We tried, and it works, too.)

Fun fact: For her part, Emma Watson illustrated a limited-edition sleeve (exclusive to the United States, as shown in our lead photo) and directed a campaign video for the brand.

Where to buy: Renais is available for $65 in stores and online.