The annual Jidvei Mixology & Bartending Camp announced its winners earlier this week, and they are: Ovidiu Niculcea, from Speakeasy Society Cocktail Bar (Alba Iulia), 1st place and a ticket to the Athens Bar Show; Claudiu Szabo (also winner of the 2019 Marathon Competition mixology competition) – 2nd place and a ticket to a WSET course and Evelina Rusu (Creative Bar Events, Iasi), 3rd place and a "mystery box" full of goodies from Jidvei.
Jidvei, novelties with a Romanian spirit
The Jidvei Mixology & Bartending Camp project started in 2021, from the company’s desire to open up to the world of bartenders and mixology, an area where, until recently, the idea of a cocktail was roughly based exclusively on spirits, with the small (and notable) exceptions in which sparkling wine was used – the famous Aperol spritz, Mimosa versions and several options of sparkling wine with fruit puree. From the very beginning, Jidvei agreed to the idea that wine and wine distillates are excellent ingredients for cocktails, launching, several years ago, a website section dedicated to these drinks, on the jidvei.ro platform.
"Beyond encouraging the creativity of bartenders and mixologists or the effort to bring wine back to the attention of an younger audience, there was also another goal, namely to convince them to use Romanian products. That is, instead of a brandy or a Cognac, you can also use a vinars, instead of Champagne or Prosecco you can use a Romanian sparkling wine and, obviously, when it comes to still wines, you should choose a Romanian one", the company representatives said after the competition.
Study before competition
Jidvei Mixology & Bartending Camp is more than a competition, it’s an experience. Initially conceived as a meeting between the Jidvei team and the trendsetters and the creative side of the HoReCa market, it naturally acquired the stimulating and motivating competition dimension. Thus, the first day remains, as in any camp, reserved for the making acquaintance and social interaction, to getting in touch with the place, with the people and the general local feeling. The second day is when Jidvei introduce themselves with a tour of the vineyard and the wineries, then the tastings follow – still wines, sparkling wines and brandy, followed by seminars and trainings.
It is only in the evening of the third day that the first test of the competition takes place, the "speed" test, in which everything is standardized, and the contestants must prepare a certain amount of cocktails in a given time. The following evening is reserved for creativity, ingenuity, but also adaptability. Competitors have to create their own recipes, using not only Jidvei’s wines and distillates, but also local syrups and fruits, aromatic herbs or any other ingredients they discover in the gardens of Bethlen-Haller castle.
Cocktails by Jidvei
All the cocktails awarded last year can be learnt on the dedicated platform, https://www.jidvei.ro/cocktails/, and those that won this third edition will be added as soon as possible.
The jidvei.ro/cocktails platform is an excellent tool not only for HoReCa employees, but also for any lover of taste and discovery. From sorting by degree of difficulty to sorting by taste, consumption occasions or the main ingredient, anyone and everyone can discover some seasonal recipes to their own taste, all with Romanian ingredients. And the recipes will tell you as well what type of glasses and what techniques should be used, for a delicious final result!
"Wine is a journey that requires a constant evolution, and in order to remain relevant you must always pay attention to what is happening around you, step beyond the comfort zone and desire the exceptional. Passion and integrity must go hand in hand with courage because only when you master the rules can you play the game, and get to share your love of wine with others, and Jidvei has shown that he can do these things.
I have always believed that mixology is an art that deserves more attention from both consumers and wine producers. Cocktails have been created, reinterpreted and consumed all over the world for hundreds of years, and drinking a good and balanced cocktail can be as pleasant as enjoying a complex dish in a restaurant. But this experience does not have to take place only in the city, but can be reproduced at home, as a family", says Ana Necsulescu, Jidvei Communication Manager.
Jidvei finds your favorite bartender
Beyond delicious cocktails and recipes explained step by step, this platform brings to the fore the stories of the bartenders who participated in the Jidvei Mixology & Bartenders Camp. The curious ones can find out who are the bartenders who created the recipes, what is their life story, where they found the inspiration to create their cocktails and above all, where to find them, meet them personally and enjoy even more fine cocktails.
"Studies show that more and more consumers are discovering the art of mixology and experimenting with established recipes at home or making their mark with cocktails they invented. Through the Cocktails by Jidvei platform, we want to support those who are looking for inspiration and who want to find out how they can create unique cocktails and how they can integrate our wines, sparkling wines and distillates.
We also wanted to create a favorable environment for promoting talented bartenders and mixologists, a place where they can exhibit their creations, thus becoming part of a much larger approach that aims to educate the consumer and ensure visibility from growing mixology and bartending in the landscape of the hospitality industry in Romania. We must learn to look at mixology as a complementary facet of gastronomy, and the international evolution proves to us that the cocktail industry can reach unimaginable heights." – Ana Necsulescu, Jidvei Communication Manager.
