Aperitif

Lillet Blanc — Aromatized Aperitif Wine | Podensac, Bordeaux | 750ml

Style: Aromatized Aperitif Wine | Origin: Podensac, Bordeaux, France | ABV: 17% | Format: 750ml

Pronounced lee-LAY — and once you know it, you’ll never forget it. Created in 1872 in the village of Podensac on the banks of the Garonne, Lillet Blanc is the iconic French aperitif that has graced Parisian cafés, Bond films, and home bars for over 150 years. A blend of 85% Bordeaux wines (Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon) and 15% macerated citrus and fruit liqueurs with a touch of quinine, it delivers a beautifully balanced profile that is neither wine nor cocktail — it is something entirely its own.

Critical Acclaim

Wine Enthusiast — 92 Points
“The rounded bouquet features tropical fruit notes of banana and guava, smells of ripe grapes and kiwi, and a subtle spiciness. The palate entry is luscious, gently fruity and keenly acidic. Finish is ripe, delicately spiced, and delicious. An old favorite.”

Tasting Notes

Honey, orange blossom, and ripe stone fruit on the nose. Luscious and gently fruity on the palate with bright acidity, notes of kiwi, white grapes, and a pleasantly bitter herbal finish. Elegant, refreshing, and endlessly versatile.

How to Serve

• Classic: Chilled (43–46°F) over ice with a slice of orange — the definitive Lillet serve
• Spritz: Lillet Blanc + tonic water + orange slice over ice
• Vesper Martini: Gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc — shaken, not stirred, as James Bond ordered
• Aperitivo: Serve alongside olives, charcuterie, or light hors d’oeuvres

Product Details

• Producer: Lillet, Podensac, Bordeaux, France | Est. 1872
• Base: 85% Bordeaux wines (Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon) + 15% macerated citrus & fruit liqueurs
• ABV: 17%
• Format: 750ml

Rosé Aperitif | Podensac, Bordeaux / France
Size: 750ml  |  ABV: 17%  |  90+ Rated

Lillet has been crafting iconic French aperitifs in Podensac, Bordeaux since 1872. Their Rosé is the newest expression from the house — a delicate, aromatic blend of Bordeaux wines and macerated fruit liquèurs, with a beautiful blush color and a fresh, fruit-forward character that feels made for warm-weather sipping. Endlessly versatile, effortlessly elegant.

Juicy peach nectar and wild strawberry lead the nose, with vibrant acidity and a floral flicker on the finish. The rosy hue practically calls out for bubbles or gin. Sip it chilled over ice with a slice of grapefruit, mix with tonic and fresh mint, or use it as the base of a classic Lillet Spritz or a Vesper Martini.

“Juicy peach nectar and wild strawberry meet vibrant acidity and a floral flicker on the exit. Even the rosy hue is just calling out for mixing with bubbles or gin. Sip or mix.”
— Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points

Base: Bordeaux wines + macerated fruit liquèurs
Serve: Chilled over ice with grapefruit · Lillet Spritz · Vesper Martini · Tonic & mint

Winemaker Description

Lillet Rouge Aperitif presents a deep, ruby red color, with a nose that reveals an enticing bouquet of ripe red fruits, spices, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, you'll be greeted by rich, fruity flavors of blackberry, cherry, and plum, complemented by subtle notes of spice and herbs.

The finish is smooth and lingering, with a touch of sweetness and a gentle, warming sensation. 

Ouzo 7 Premium has been the famous and respected Ouzo in Greece for many years. Distilled or neat Ouzo is an alcoholic beverage commonly enjoyed as an aperitif, for example with fine Kalamata olives.

Its spicy flavor makes it perfect for cozy evenings with friends or as an aperitif .

Produced in Greece

Suitable for vegetarians

Pommeau de Normandie-style apple apéritif produced by Neversink Spirits in Elmsford, New York.

This complex, pommeau-inspired apéritif is delicious sipped neat (serve slightly chilled) or in a cold-weather Spritz. Once opened, refrigerate and ideally serve within 3–6 months; the spirit won’t spoil, it will simply begin to oxidize and lean towards its deeper flavors.

• Made from a blend of one-part Neversink apple brandy that has been aged 1 year in ex-whiskey barrels and two-parts freshly pressed, unfermented heirloom apple cider
• Once blended, the apéritif is aged for 18 months in 60-gallon French oak casks that previously held white wine
• Fresh, red apple on the nose with notes of walnut and butterscotch toffee; bright and pleasant acidity greets the palate with clove, sage, and celery root; the finish offers echoing waves of fresh apple skin and stewed apples with notes of ginger
• Contains no added sugar

Some bottles carry history in them. Dubonnet Rouge has been poured at European tables since 1846 — a fortified aperitif born in Bordeaux, beloved by royalty, and as relevant today as it was in the Belle Époque. Crafted from a proprietary blend of red wine, herbs, spices, and a touch of quinine, it occupies a singular space between wine and spirit, bitter and sweet.

In the glass, it is scarlet red with dark highlights. The nose is warmly herbal — dried fruit, sweet spice, and a hint of orange peel. On the palate, autumnal fruit tones lead to a pleasantly bitter, lingering finish that awakens the appetite exactly as a great aperitif should.

Serve chilled over ice with a slice of orange, top with tonic or soda for a light spritz, or use as the backbone of a classic Dubonnet Cocktail. A staple for any serious home bar.

Origin: Bordeaux, France
Style: Fortified Aperitif Wine
Base: Red wine, herbs, spices, quinine
Format: 1.0 Liter

Winemaker Description

Byrrh Grand Quinquina is made to the original late-19th century recipe that earned worldwide fame and inspired fifty years of evocative poster art. Byrrh combines a generous, port-like wine and mistelle base with a firm backbone of natural quinine to produce a fruity, refreshing aperitif.

By itself, with tonic and a twist, or paired with blue cheese. In cocktails, Byrrh mixes well with vodka, gin, tequila, Irish whiskey, and grapefruit. Byrrh is produced in Thuir, in the heart of French Catalan territory, near the coast and border with Spain. 

Expert Review

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | Concentrated dark fruit leads the nose and palate on this garnet-hued aperitif wine infused with quinine. Complex, rich stewed fruit notes suggest cherry pie and Port brushed with vanilla, finishing long with drying hints of plum skin, sage and dried oregano plus a hint of espresso-like bitterness.  Best Buy

Lo-Fi Aperitifs Dry Vermouth | California | 750ml

Lo-Fi Aperitifs was born out of a simple conviction: that the best cocktails start with the best vermouth, and that most vermouth on the market wasn't good enough. Founded in California, Lo-Fi set out to make aperitifs that are genuinely delicious on their own — complex, aromatic, and balanced — not just a background note in someone else's drink.

Their Dry Vermouth is built on a foundation of California wine, then layered with a carefully chosen botanical blend: cherry, fennel, elderflower, anise, and chamomile. The result is floral and herbal, with a clean, dry finish and just enough bitterness to keep things interesting. It's the kind of vermouth that makes a Martini worth drinking — and that's equally good poured over ice with a twist.

• Style: Dry Vermouth
• Origin: California, USA
• Botanicals: Cherry, fennel, elderflower, anise, chamomile
• Size: 750ml
• Best For: Martinis, Gibsons, Negroni Bianco, or chilled with a lemon twist