G'Vine Nouaison, French Flower-Infused Gin

by Annie Scott (RSS feed)
Jul 21st 2010 at 4:01PM

The long, hot days of summer are upon us. It's a time of garden parties and drinking on the patio, and fresh cocktails with good gin. G'Vine Nouaison is a new contender for you to consider -- a lovely, aromatic gin with a strong character infused with the rare Ugni Blanc vine flower.

This beautifully botanical-rich gin is made in small batches in France's Cognac region and has just begun US distribution. You may recognize the name from the other G'Vine gin, Floraison. The difference between Floraison and Nouaison is that Nouaison has stronger notes of juniper and nutmeg, focusing less on the voluptuous flavor of the vine flower and more on intensifying the herbal spiciness of the gin.

The concentrated spices of Nouaison are intended to encapsulate the spirit of the Ugni Blanc grape berry as it first "sets" on the vine flower, a phase in growing known as -- what else -- "nouaison."

You'll find that, especially in contrast to other gins, 43.9% ABV G'Vine Nouaison comes through elegantly in fruity cocktails and stands up boldly to any tonic. The grape base and infusion of the vine flower give G'Vine a definitive taste one could pick out from a crowd. G'Vine Nouaison retails for $34.00 for 750 mL.

Tags: gin, gvine, gvine nouaison