Sweet, Fortified & Oxidative Wines
Something to start? Something to finish? The big day wouldn’t be complete without those aperétifs and digestifs to bookend the big meal. Whether you seek that bittersweet refreshment of an aromatic vermouth to start the festivities, something sweet and luscious to wrap up the meal, or the salty, nutty goodness of an oxidative wine to ponder alongside your cheese – we’ve covered all bases. Head to ‘Aperitif, Sweet & Fortified’ to browse our full collection.
Here are some of our top picks…
CONTROCORRENTE ‘BIANCO VERMOUTH’. Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. A modern take on classic Torino vermouth, made with natural wine as its base and infused with a citrus and botanical tincture of lemon balm, tangerine and chamomile, then fortified with alcohol and sugar.
CONTROCORRENTE ‘ROSSO VERMOUTH’. Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy. Red vermouth made over a base of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara which is then steeped with a botanical tincture of thyme, helichrysum and rhubarb, before being fortified with alcohol and sugar.
FABIO FERRACANE ‘NINÙ VERMOUTH’. Marsala, Sicily, Italy. Made over a base of skin-macerated Catarratto, Fabio blends with a host of Mediterranean herbs, along with jasmine, chamomile, cedar and ginger infused with raw alcohol to fortify. A heady delight!
CHINATI VERGANO ‘VERMOUTH’. Asti, Piedmont, Italy. White Vermouth made on a base of Moscato & Cortese, blended with a mixture of raw alcohol, wormwood, citrus skin and herbs like thyme, marjoram, basil and oregano.
CHINATI VERGANO ‘AMERICANO’. Asti, Piedmont, Italy. Traditional apéritif from Piedmont. Made on a base of Grignolino, blended with raw alcohol steeped in sugar, wormwood, savoury, orange skin, gentiana root and a host of dry Italian pantry herbs.
CHINATI VERGANO ‘LULI’. Asti, Piedmont, Italy. White Chinato, a little something like a Moscato d’Asti, but amped up with a host of citrus and herbs, and given a distinct bitter backbone with the use of quinine bark.
CHINATI VERGANO ‘CHINATO’. Asti, Piedmont, Italy. Fortified and sweetened Nebbiolo, infused with a host of aromatics from cardamom to ginseng, all tied together by the bitter China bark that gives the wine its name.
ROUSSET-PEYRAGUEY CRÈME DE TÊTE 2012. Preignac, Bordeaux, France. Stunning late harvest Sémillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle aged for eight years in both oak and acacia barrel. A wonderfully complex sweet wine balanced by layers of umami flavours.
HUBERT & HEIDI HAUSHERR ‘AUSSITÔT BUE’ 2020. Eguisheim, Alsace, France. A blend of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Auxerrois. A medium-sweet wine with soaring acidity, tropical fruits, a twang of sherbet and a gentle oxidative note as the wine matured in the barrel.
FABIO FERRACANE ‘MUFFATO OXIDATIVE’ 2018. Marsala, Sicily, Italy. Bone dry, this wine is a heady mix of all the complex flavours and textures that oxidation and flor-contact can bring. Woody hazelnut, toasted almond, turmeric, garam masala, salt and a little sweet vanilla from the barrel.
