Five bartenders win VIP trip to Cognac with G’Vine
G’Vine’s Escape to the Grape competition asked bartenders from all over the world to create a gin and tonic, using either G’Vine Nouaison or Floraison, inspired by an escape from the daily grind.
Competitors submitted their recipe and a photo or video of their inspiration, which was then assessed by a judging panel and well as being open to voting by customers.
The five winners will attend an exclusive trip, hosted by Jean-Sebastian Robicquet, G’Vine Master Distiller and Blender, visiting the region’s finest grape producers, tasting the rarest wines, and meeting multiple generations of winemakers. The trip will culminate with a visit to the Maison Villevert, where each bartender will make their own unconventional gin, inspired by their journey.
There will of course also be a massive party to round out the trip, attended by various industry legends, and Jamie Jones.
Congratulations then to the five worthy Escape to the Grape winners:
- Kate Jackson from UK (The King of Ladies Man, The Mayor of Scaredycat Town)
- Lin Da Niu from Taiwan (Trio)
- Jagoba Santesteban from Spain (Geo Cocktail)
- Nick Salvadurai from Australia (Cookie)
- Yasuhiro Kawakubo from Japan (Bar Libre)
The drinks
Kate Jackson – Quince Dreams
- 50ml Nouaison
- 30ml homemade quince syrup toasted with pink peppercorns, cardamom & coriander seeds
- 10ml fresh lime
- Lengthened with bitter lemon
Garnished with black grape & juice ice cubes.
Lin Da Niu – Lamune Gin & Tonic
Pour 50ml G’Vine Floraison into collins glass filled with ice cubes, fill halfway with Marble Soda, and top with tonic.
Squeeze half a lime on top and garnish with a long thin slice of fresh ginger.
Jagoba Santesteban Orrantia – Geo Vine
- 5cl G’Vine Floraison
- 1 Barspoon June
- 20cl Tonic water
- 4 grape
- 1 piece of liquorice
Serve in a wine glass over ice.
Nick Selvadurai – La Mer et Le Soleil
1 strawberry, and some thyme muddled up, then 45ml G’Vine gin, 15ml lime juice, 20ml Lillet rose, 10ml sugar and a pinch of turmeric salt all shaken and strained into a soda syphon with 60ml of sparkling mineral water. Charged then served in a Collins with a strawberry and time garnish
Yasuhiro Kawakubo – Splash G’VINE Tonic
- 50ml G’VINE Floraison
- 50ml Tonic
- Aroma oil of muscat
- Fresh rosemary
Pour G’VINE into the glass like waterfall (long pour) bringing out the aroma of G’VINE