Cocktail Competition: G’Vine Gin at Epernay

As mentioned in an earlier post, G’Vine (along with other brands) like nothing better than a cocktail competition. It often means seeing something through someone else’s eyes, and a bit of imagination, a bit of experimentation and you can create something really special.

The latest of these was at the gorgeous Epernay, Champagne heaven and ideal for romantics who want to spoil that special someone. For those of us who love a cocktail, it’s just as much fun – one of the largest cocktail menus I’ve seen offers something for everyone – from fizz to vodka, whisky to gin.

 

 

Given the above, any cocktail competition held here is going to be full of fascinating concoctions, as we saw with the Manchester heat of the Benedictine competition earlier this year.

As you’ll know from all the previous posts about G’Vine it comes in two varieties – Nouaison and Floraison. In this competition the mixologists could pick their own preference and we had some interesting choices.

 

 

Up first was Barry, with his Sin Gin Fizz – as the name suggests, a gin fizz with a twist. Choosing the Floraison, he mixed it with pear syrup, egg white, orange flower water and a sugar syrup. Once shaken, this was topped off with Champagne and served with a lemon sorbet.

 

 

Served in vintage glassware this was very pretty. And the flavour? Sweet pear balanced dry Champagne and vice versa. The egg white offered a creaminess. Unfortunately the gin seemed a little lost.

Our second contender was Bryce with his cocktail, Opulence.

 

 

He combined Lillet Rouge, lemon juice, blackberry cordial, blackberry syrup and the Nouaison in a glass. After stirring, this was topped with soda water.

 

 

I had such high hopes for this, in my mind the Nouaison and the late summer blackberries should have melded into a beautiful rich drink. Unfortunately, the soda water meant that it wasn’t until some time had passed that the berries and the gin came through. I wondered if without soda and with a touch of fizz, this might have worked better.

 

 

Onto the glamorous Susie and her Divine. Mixing Nouaison with rose cordial, poppy liqueur and pineapple juice. Shaken, this was then poured into a tall glass and topped with strawberry lemonade and candy floss before being garnished with a lollipop.

 

 

Visually stunning, it was hard not to be won over by something so pink and frivolous. Flavour wise, a little on the sweet side for me, but the flavours worked very well, the rose picking up the florals in the gin, and the pineapple and candyfloss tempering the Nouaisons natural liquorice notes.

 

 

Miriam was a latecomer to the competition (to be frank we twisted her arm a little) and entered her Kill Joey G&T – sometimes the classics are the best.

 

 

Mixing the Floraison with tonic, a twist of lemon and raspberries as a garnish, her creation was simple and persuasive. The perfumed elements of fresh raspberry are a good foil for the gin, and an alternative to the G’Vine recommended serve, grapes.

 

 

Onto our final cocktail, from Joey and in a nod to the summer, he brought us the Jazzy Jeff.

 

Using both the Floraison and the Nouaison, he added ginger and lemongrass cordial, mint, Luxardo and bitters. Shaken, this was poured into a tall glass with crushed ice and topped off with Langlois Champagne.

 

 

Given my fondness for all things ginger, this was a winner for me. Long and refreshing, the spice of the ginger and lemongrass with the gin made it a perfect summer afternoon drink.

Sadly, I was not a judge – so with everyone else, I had to wait patiently for the winner to be decided.

The judges disappeared to discuss the entries and we… well we drank gin and tonic and discussed the cocktails.

The judges emerged, but it seemed there was consternation. More discussions. Until the winner was announced.

 

 

Joey’s fresh gin cocktail and Susie’s pretty concoction had stumped the judges. They couldn’t decide between them and so they didn’t. Both won.

A fantastic result and so G’Vine will move onto another bar for another set of competitions. And this time, surely, I’ll get to help choose a winner?