Tag Archives: vermouth

Wine of the Day: Cocchi Americano Aperitivo NV 5-11-2016

Cocchi Americano Aperitivo, Piedmont ($19.95) Buy Now: $16.60 special

“Cocchi Americano is easy to love: it’s a balanced blend of sweetness, bitterness and refreshing herbal notes. This is my favorite aperitif to enjoy chilled on its own or with seltzer and lime. Its base wine is Moscato di Asti, which imparts floral aromas. Its bittering agent is gentian and cinchona bark.” -Suzanne

Import note “Made to the same recipe since 1891, this extraordinary aperitif wine has long been a staple of Asti. On a base of estate-grown Moscato di Asti is infused a blend of herbs, fruit and spices, most notably cinchona, gentian and citrus, and laid down for a year before being released. In Piemonte it is served chilled with ice, a twist of orange peel and a splash of soda to bring out all its natural aroma and fragrances.… Read the rest

Wines of the Day: Dolin Vermouth de Chambery NV 5-10-2016

Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Dry, Savoie, France ($17.95) Buy Now: $14 special

Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Blanc, Savoie, France ($17.95) Buy Now: $14 special

Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge, Savoie, France ($17.95) Buy Now: $14 special

“Dolin is a respected producer of AOC French-style vermouths from Chambery, France in the Alps. The vermouths are produced using an herbal recipe from 1821 and wormwood as their bitter agent. The neutral base wines are left to macerate with local herbs and plants for several months before being sweetened and fortified. The Dry makes a superb mixer for dry martinis or to spice up ginger ale. It has delicate herbal notes from the Alpine botanicals infused in the wine. The Dry is sweetened to 30g/L and both the Blanc and Rouge are sweetened to 130g/L.” … Read the rest

Wines of the Day: Lillet Aperitif Blanc and Rose NV 5-9-2016

Lillet Rose Aperitif ($21.95) Buy Now: $18.90 special

Lillet Blanc Aperitif ($23.95) Buy Now: $19.90 special

“The two Lillet aperitifs come from the Bordeaux region of France using regional grapes. The base wine is matured in oak and flavored with sweet and bitter oranges. The aperitifs are less bitter in flavor than most with a gentle sweetness that is not cloying. The Rose incorporates some of the Rouge for color and has a pretty strawberry and lemon aroma. The Blanc has a more focused citrus aroma. I enjoy both over ice with a spritz of lemon and seltzer.” -Suzanne

Winery note “The main grape variety in Lillet Blanc is Sémillon, which gives it a full, fleshy structure and a smooth, fruity taste with aromas of candied oranges, honey, pine resin and exotic fruits.… Read the rest

Wine of the Day: Byrrh Grand Quinquina NV 5-8-2016

Byrrh Grand Quinquina, Languedoc-Roussillon NV ($23.95) Buy Now: $19 special

“The Byrrh is a rarity in many ways. It is a quinquina (which uses chinchona bark for the bittering agent) that is red-wine based, whereas many red aperitifs are colored with caramel. Despite wide popularity before Prohibition, it is not typically imported into the US anymore, so we are excited to present it. It was originally created in 1866 in the Roussillon from Carignan and Grenache grapes. It shows rich notes of dried plums and cinnamon and has a full body and lush sweetness.” -Suzanne

Importer note: “Byrrh Grand Quinquina is made to the original late 19th century recipe that earned fame both in France and overseas. Its long legacy is also documented by a half century of magnificent poster art.… Read the rest