Vermouth & Aperitif

In restaurants throughout the Basque Country, a weekend meal begins with a ceremonial vermouth service. Decanters of vermouth are presented on a tray with ice, sparkling water, olives, wedges of cut citrus, and two small bitters bottles: one full of Campari and the other filled with London Dry Gin. Each guest dictates their preferred garnish and ingredients, which the waiter then serves tableside. Acha’s classically Basque vermouth syncs beautifully with the broader vermouth tradition in Spain, heavily represented in Madrid, Barcelona, and the Basque Country. The botanicals are macerated in aguardiente – produced in a 130 year-old copper pot still – and blended into a neutral Airén wine base.Tasting Notes: This is not your standard dry vermouth; it has powerful herbaceous qualities that make it almost equal parts a dry vermouth and an alpine herbal liqueur like génépi. Intense notes of marjoram, thyme, wormwood, and rosemary, along with the natural vinous quality of the vermouth, make this a powerful cocktail ingredient. Pairing Notes: Acha Dry is the perfect vermouth for a rich, savory martini (pair with BCN gin and orange bitters for a serious Spanish sipper), but is potent enough to stand up to heavy hitters like Cynar, absinthe, aquavit, cherry tomatoes, honey, orange liqueur, and olive bitters.

Producer Description 

Tribuno Sweet Vermouth is a light brown color with a candied nose of ripe peaches. It makes a wonderful mixer. 

100% Semillon grapes from the El Kosh Vineyard in the Western Upper Galilee of Israel.
Vermouth is a spirit that many drinkers have at home, but some aren't quite sure how to use.

The Dalton Vermouth has a bright amber color.

This is a fortified wine, that is very complex and can be used as a standalone beverage served with an ice cube or as a cocktail ingredient.

Kosher for Passover. 

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

 

Winemaker Descripition

A perfect blend of two wines: a dry, mineral and crisp Fino sherry and a sweet and floral Moscatel wine. Intense and bright yellow colour with golden reflections.

 On the nose it shows floral, citrusy and herbaceous notes over a yeasty and mineral base. The finish is bitter and clean with a long, nutty and refreshing aftertaste.

Expert Review 

94 Points Wine Enthusiast | This pale gold, Sherry-based vermouth is made from fino, sweetened with Moscatel wine. Mild, grassy aromas lead into a sweet and citrusy palate, with mouthwatering acidity and a fresh, grassy exit accented by a floral hint.

 

Producer Description 

Very complex fruit aroma, notes of underbrush, honey, cinnamon, thyme and rosemary with a finish marked by dry nuts. The perfect balance between the bitterness of the absinthe and the sweetness of the overripe fruit.

Elegant and fresh in the mouth, a harmonious finish thanks to the balance between the bitterness of the absinthe and the sweetness of the overripe fruit. Produce Description. 

Winemaker Description 

Made using wines made with 50% Garnacha Blanca and 50% Xarello grapes, El Bandarra Vermut Bianco is infused with more that 40 botanicals to create its complex bittersweet character.

Winemaker Description 

This vermouth is based on a Fino sherry with the addition of seven botanicals: wormwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel, savory and red fruits. It is clean, elegant and intense with concentrated citrus aromas perfectly blended with the delicious bitter touches of wormwood and savory.

It shows a persistent and long balsamic aftertaste due to the addition of red fruits. An elegant extra dry vermouth which clearly maintains its Fino origin. Ideal as an aperitif, served over ice with soda and in cocktails.

Gonzlez Byass was founded in 1835 by Manuel Maria Gonz lez and remains in family hands today, now in the fifth and sixth generation. Founded in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, in the heart of Sherry country, it is dedicated to the production of high-quality sherries. The Sherry triangle, made up of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda, has a unique microclimate influenced by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean and Guadalquivir and Guadalete rivers.

Production is dominated by the Palomino variety, and vines are planted in the white Albariza soil, with high chalk content which is excellent for retaining moisture. These soil conditions, combined with over 3,000 hours of annual sunshine, fresh, humid breezes from the west (poniente) and warm, dry breezes from the east (levante) have formed the perfect marriage with the Palomino variety to produce an array of sherry styles. All sherries are aged following the traditional Solera system where the wines are blended in 600 liter American oak casks.

Many styles are produced with distinctive characters depending on whether they have been aged under the influence of the flor (a layer of natural yeast) or as an oloroso (in contact with oxygen). Today the portfolio includes a wide range of sherries including Tio Pepe, the Superior Range and the VORS range, enological gems aged for over 30 years. Producer Description. 

Winemaker Description 

A perfect blend of two wines: a dry, mineral and crisp. Fino sherry and a sweet and floral Moscatel wine. Intense and bright yellow colour with golden reflections. On the nose it shows floral, citrusy and herbaceous notes over a yeasty and mineral base. The finish is bitter and clean with a long, nutty and refreshing aftertaste.

Producer Description

The delicate flavor of Vermouth Perucchi is the result of a selection of wines and mistelas from Alt Ampurdà, Valencia and La Mancha macerated with a special combination of more than 50 varieties of herbs, fruits and roots.The only sweet vermouth with more than 20 natural botanicals according to the Augustus Perucchi recipe created in 1876, without preservatives or dyes.Palate Balanced, slightly sweet, soft and pleasant in mouth, naturally refreshing.

• Color: Straw-coloured yellow with greenish tones from herbaceous products.

• Aroma: Very delicate and exquisite mixture of wines with the different ingredients providing the vermouth with multitude of floral aromas.

• Palate: Balanced, slightly sweet, soft and pleasant in mouth, naturally refreshing.

• Aftertaste: Long and intense, with an interesting combination of aromas and flavours all of which converge to form an original white vermouth.

Vermouth Perucchi is a unique product, as it was the first Spanish vermouth. It was first made in 1876 by Don Augustus Perucchi. Its delicate flavour is the result of an accurate selection of wines and sweet wines from Alt Empordà region, Valencia and La Mancha. These wines are macerated with a secret combination of more than 50 kinds of herbs, plants and roots.

Winemaker Description

A rich, golden color is displayed in this slightly sweet aperitif. The classic vermouth flavors of wormwood and citrus are joined by more exotic tones of chamomile, green tea, and raw vanilla bean. A keen acidity keeps the palate lively, fresh, and inviting.