Albourne Estate in Sussex has launched the first Sussex vermouth, as the resurgence of the aromatised fortified wine that originates from Italy continues to build.
The Albourne Estate 40 Semi-Dry Vermouth was made with forty diverse botanicals, including rosemary, thyme, rose petals and chamomile – alongside citrus peels, more exotic spices such as saffron and cardamom and the unexpected - coffee beans and tea.
Alison explains that while many producers have diversified their ranges with spirits, in particular, gin, she sees vermouth is as the perfect fit for an English winemaker, with the legal requirement that vermouth contains at least 75% of grape-derived wine.
“Recently most of the launches from small drinks producers have been in gin. But vermouth makes much more sense for us as a wine producer as it is wine based, fits well with our range and is delicious to drink,” she says.
Albourne 40 uses matured Albourne Estate base wines, blended with the botanicals and sugar before being fortified to 18% alcohol volume. Distinctive in its appearance, the resulting wine is the outcome of extensive development with input from Italian wine consultant Salvatore Leone. The resulting product is designed to be enjoyed on its own, but Alison and her team have also put together a range of delicious sounding cocktails.
“Our mission is to remind people to really appreciate the blend of botanicals by drinking vermouth straight. Many people will be enthusiastic once this is re-discovered and pairing 40 with food will be a big part of this.
We are using cocktail ideas on the 40’s neck tags and in-store tastings with food pairings such as with nuts, salami, prosciutto and strong cheeses like gorgonzola.”
