Mauro's take on Piemonte's most famous digestif, Chinato. 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. Find out more.
An Americano is a traditional apéritif from Piedmont. A play on the French amér, it is similar to a Vermouth, but usually contains extra bitter components. Mauro’s is based on Grignolino from his niece-in-law, Nadia of Cascina Tavijn. This is blended with raw alcohol steeped in sugar, wormwood, savoury, orange skin, gentiana root and a host of dry Italian pantry herbs. Served on the rocks with a glug of soda and a slice of orange, it is a cult classic that never disappoints.
Mauro Vergano worked for many years as a chemist for one of Italy's top pharmaceutical companies, developing flavours and aromas. A lover of drinks, he has long made them for friends to enjoy and behind an unassuming door in the town of Asti he now makes tiny quantities of Vermouth, Chinati and other treasures which are in high demand amongst those in the know. These drinks are known as vini aromatizzati, wines that have had various aromatic ingredients added to them. Mauro begins with base wines full of healthy fruit. Fresh, clean, balanced wines that provide the perfect jump-off point for the flavour juggling that ensues. Mauro will add to the base wine some sugar, raw alcohol and any combination of citrus, quinine, wormwood and other botanicals. As is plainly obvious by this small list of ingredients, in the wrong hands this could go horribly wrong. However, Mauro must be something of a genius as each and every one of his creations displays astonishing balance and length.