Driven by innovation, distillation expertise, the richness of the terroirs, and local botanicals, it now offers original expressions that stand out from traditional styles made from grain.

Among them, G'Vine holds a unique place. Created in the Cognac region in 2006 by Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, this French gin chose an unprecedented and bold path: replacing grain alcohol with 100% French grape alcohol and incorporating a unique ingredient in the gin-making process: the delicate vine flower.

Present for only a few days each year, this subtle flower has become the signature of G'Vine Floraison. It embodies French viticultural heritage, innovation, and the pursuit of an aromatic expression different from traditional gin.

But, what exactly is the vine flower? Why is it so rare? And how does it contribute to making G'Vine a benchmark for French gin?

The vine flower is the floral unit of the grapevine, vitis vinifera. It appears as a small cluster made up of numerous tiny, greenish flowers that would almost go unnoticed.

Discreet, it nonetheless plays an essential role, as every fertilized flower has the potential to become a grape. Flowering thus constitutes one of the most important moments in the vine's cycle, the time when part of the future harvest is already taking shape.

Unlike other aromatic flowers used in spirits, the vine flower does not captivate with its appearance. Its value lies in its rarity and in the delicate aromatic nuances it develops over the course of a few days.

The rarity of the vine flower is primarily due to its brevity.

In French vineyards, flowering generally occurs between the end of May and June. This phase lasts only a few days before giving way to fruit set, the stage that marks the transformation of the flower into a future grape berry.

Everything happens within an extremely short window. The flowers can only be harvested for a few days, generally in mid-June, at the moment when their aromas reach their greatest intensity.

This brevity explains why the vine flower is very rarely used as an ingredient in gin. Few producers possess both the expertise and the resources necessary to capture its aromatic expression.

Beyond its rarity, the vine flower represents a true technical challenge.

Its aromatic compounds are particularly fragile. An overly aggressive extraction or poorly controlled temperature can quickly alter its finest notes.

Unlike certain powerful botanicals that naturally assert themselves in a blend, the vine flower requires precision, patience, and balance.

It is precisely this complexity that inspired the creation process of our G'Vine gin.

The vine flower possesses a subtle aromatic personality. It brings fresh floral notes, delicate and smooth vegetal nuances, and an airy sensation that evokes the vineyards.

In a gin, it cannot mask the juniper. It acts instead as a balancer, because if the aromatic extraction of certain botanicals or spices were too dominant, the aromas of the vine flower would disappear.

This subtlety explains why it has become one of the most recognizable signatures of G'Vine Floraison.

Most gins on the market are made from neutral grain alcohol.
G'Vine has made a radically different choice.

From the very beginning of the project, Jean-Sébastien Robicquet wanted to build upon what constitutes the DNA of Maison Villevert: grapes. Grape alcohol provides more roundness, a silkier texture, and an aromatic richness that allow the botanicals to express themselves with greater finesse. It also offers a fuller and more elegant mouthfeel than traditional grain bases.

This grape base naturally links G’Vine with the Cognac region and the French viticultural heritage that have always inspired Jean-Sébastien Robicquet and Maison Villevert.

The origin of G'Vine: reinventing gin the French way

Born from terroir but shaped by the world, Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, President-Founder of Maison Villevert, draws his inspiration from a childhood in Southeast Asia, oenology studies in Bordeaux, and a transformative experience in Singapore. Guided by innovation and a love for the land, he imagined a new way to approach gin.
His ambition was not to replicate existing codes, but to offer a profoundly French expression of this category.

When G'Vine was launched in 2006, the stance was clear: no grains; no traditional London Dry, but rather more roundness and freshness; not just classic botanicals, but an iconic ingredient of the French wine heritage: the grape, elevated by the vine flower.
This disruptive vision helped make G'Vine one of the most innovative brands in the world of premium gin.

Production inspired by perfumery

Gin production is generally based on the distillation of various aromatic plants.
For G'Vine, the process is more unique.

The botanicals are worked on separately to preserve their aromatic identities. And, to capture the full finesse of the vine flower, it is distilled in a Florentine still traditionally used in perfumery. This method allows for the extraction of its most delicate aromas while respecting their subtlety.
This approach perfectly reflects the philosophy of Maison Villevert: combining traditional expertise and innovation to create exceptional French spirits.

To discover the gin production stages in detail:
G'Vine Floraison : the purest expression of the vine flower
Among the various creations of Maison Villevert, G'Vine Floraison is the one that most directly highlights the vine flower.

On the nose, it reveals fresh and floral notes.
On the palate, the roundness of the grape meets the freshness of the vine flower in a particularly elegant balance, to the point of making those who had turned away from gin rediscover it.
This unique aromatic personality has largely contributed to the international success of G'Vine, which is now distributed in over forty countries.

Nouaison Gin: a more intense interpretation

The vine flower also inspires Nouaison Gin.

While G'Vine Floraison favors freshness and floral elegance, Nouaison develops a more complex, spicier, and more intense expression.
Highly appreciated by bartenders, it offers an aromatic depth particularly suited to classic cocktails such as the Negroni or the Martini.

To extend the experience at home:

Nouaison Gin Réserve: innovation through aging

The bold and innovative spirit of Maison Villevert is also expressed through Nouaison Gin Réserve.

After distillation, the gin is aged in oak barrels that previously held cognac from our Domaine Le Pérat. This aging process adds greater complexity, elegant woody notes, and an even richer texture.
A further demonstration of Maison Villevert's ability to push the traditional boundaries of the gin category.

The French savoir-faire behind G'Vine

Beyond the vine flower, G'Vine embodies the French art of living and creating.
Its roots in the Cognac region, its use of grapes, and its innovative yet artisanal approach to distillation bear witness to a constant desire to promote a unique heritage.
This philosophy is reflected in all of our brands.

It is also expressed through other expertise, such as that of:
Celtic Whisky Distillerie and Cognac Grosperrin.

Why does the vine flower make G'Vine unique?

In a world where many gins rely on similar bases, the vine flower brings a true singularity to G'Vine, beyond the natural roundness of the grape.

It alone symbolizes what sets the brand apart:

• deep roots in French wine heritage;
• an innovative approach to gin;
• expertise inspired by perfumery;
• an immediately recognizable aromatic signature;
• a different vision of French gin.
  

Combined with grape spirit, it gives birth to a spirit whose personality moves away from traditional codes to offer a unique experience: rounder, more floral, and more elegant.