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

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast — 93 Points | 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.

About Lillet Rosé

Lillet Rosé is the newest expression from the iconic French aperitif house founded in Podensac, Bordeaux in 1872. Crafted from a blend of Bordeaux wines and macerated fruit liqueurs, Lillet Rosé is delicate, aromatic, and endlessly versatile — with a beautiful blush color and a fresh, fruit-forward character that makes it perfect for warm-weather sipping.

Serve over ice with a slice of grapefruit, mix with tonic and fresh mint, or use as the base of a classic Lillet Spritz or a Vesper Martini.

• Producer: Lillet, Podensac, Bordeaux, France
• Style: Rosé Aperitif Wine
• Base: Bordeaux wines + macerated fruit liqueurs
• ABV: 17%
• Format: 750ml
• Serve: Chilled, over ice with grapefruit or tonic

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

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 Gentian Amaro — Napa County, California, 750ml

Lo-Fi Aperitifs is one of California's most thoughtful producers of aperitivo-style spirits, crafting small-batch vermouths and amaros from a wine-country perspective. Their Gentian Amaro is built around the classic bitter root of the Alps — gentian — balanced with cinchona bark, sweet citrus, ginger, exotic flowers, and warm spices. The result is a distinctly Californian take on the amaro tradition: bright, aromatic, and refreshingly bitter without being harsh. At $24.99 for 750ml, it is one of the best-value amaros on the market.

The nose is inviting and complex: sweet citrus peel, fresh ginger, dried flowers, and a whisper of exotic spice, all underpinned by the earthy, herbal depth of gentian and cinchona bark. On the palate, it is clean and lively — ripe citrus fruit up front, then a wave of crisp, structured bitterness that lingers cleanly through the finish. Versatile enough to sip over ice, elegant enough to elevate a cocktail, and a natural partner for sparkling wine and aged spirits.

• Producer: Lo-Fi Aperitifs, Napa County, California, USA
• Style: Gentian Amaro
• Key Botanicals: Gentian root, cinchona bark, sweet citrus, ginger, exotic flowers, spices
• Size: 750ml
• Flavor Profile: Sweet citrus, ginger, dried flowers, crisp bitterness, herbal finish
• Best Served: Over ice, with soda, or as a cocktail modifier
• Best Paired With: Sparkling wine, aged spirits, charcuterie, citrus-forward cocktails

California's most approachable amaro — Lo-Fi Gentian is the bottle that belongs on every back bar and every home cocktail shelf.

Winemaker Description 

Aromatic, layered, and full of spice, this vermouth is bright on the front with hints of rhubarb, cocoa, and vanilla. Its sweet, creamy finish is balanced out by oak and pleasing bitter notes from gentian root and orange oil bitters.

It's made with flavors of citrus fruits, ginger, exotic flowers and spices, & cinchona bark. Pairs with straight bourbon, rye whiskey and other flavorful spirits. 

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