Aromatised wine

An aromatised wine (also spelled aromatized) is a fortified wine or mistelle that has been flavoured with herbs, spices, fruit or other natural flavourings.

Description

An aromatised wine must have a minimum alcohol content of 14.5% by volume and a maximum alcohol content of 22% by volume according to EU law Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91.^[1] The majority of older brands come from France and Italy but there are now a range of small 'craft' producers around the world.

Other similar beverages described in this legislation are 'aromatised wine-based drinks' (non-fortified) and 'aromatised wine-product cocktail' (blended, lower alcohol drink under 7% ABV).

Varieties of aromatised wine

Vermouth

Vermouth is the most widely used aromatised wine due to its use in cocktails and famous commercial brands such as Martini and Cinzano which are commonplace around the world. Vermouth can be sweet or dry and red, white, pink or orange. It is traditionally flavoured with an infusion of herbs, peels and spices, including wormwood but modern commercial brands are likely to be made with a sweet concentrate of flavours to maintain consistency and low-cost.^[2] Other brands include Punt e Mes, Noilly Prat and Carpano.

Aromatised wine-based aperitifs

Aromatised wine-based aperitifs are a range of beverages related to vermouth but can be flavoured with many botanicals including cinchona bark (the source of quinine), gentian root and fruit, and typically don't contain wormwood, or flavours of wormwood, that vermouths historically have.^[3] Two types include Quinquina and Americano.

Quinquina

Quinquina uses cinchona as a main flavouring ingredient. Brands of this type of aromatised wine aperitif include Lillet, Dubonnet and Byrrh.

Americano

Americano uses gentian root as the main flavouring ingredient. The name comes from the Italian 'Amer' meaning bitter, rather than any reference to 'America'. Brands of this type of aromatised wine aperitif include Cocchi Americano and Vergano Americano.^[4]

Lillet

Lillet is a French aromatised wine which from 1887 to 1986 contained quinine. The white (blanc) version was an ingredient in "Gin and French" especially popular in Victorian London,^[5][6] similar to a martini or "Gin and It" using vermouth.

See also

• Spiced wine
• Ginger wine
• Mulled wine
• Sangria
• Wine portal

References

Alcoholic drinks
History and production History of alcohol History of alcoholic beverages History of beer History of wine History of Bordeaux wine History of Champagne History of Chianti History of French wine History of Portuguese wine History of Rioja wine History of Sherry History of South African wine Production Alcohol industry Brewing Distillation Drinking establishments Fermentation Winemaking
Alcoholic beverages Fermented beverage Beer Cider Mead Rice wine Sake Wine Other fermented beverages Distilled beverage Brandy Gin Liqueur Rum Tequila Vodka Whisky Other distilled beverages Fortified wine Madeira wine Marsala wine Port wine Sherry Vermouth Other fortified wines
Distilled beverages by ingredients Fruit Apple Applejack Calvados Cashew apple Feni Coconut Arrack Grape Armagnac Brandy Cognac Pisco Plum Slivovitz Țuică Pomace Chacha Grappa Marc Orujo Tsikoudia Tsipouro Zivania Various fruits Eau de vie Himbeergeist Kirschwasser Marillenschnaps Nalewka Pálinka Rakia Schnaps Grain Barley Irish whiskey Japanese whisky Scotch whisky Maize Bourbon whiskey Corn whiskey Tennessee whiskey Rice Awamori Cheongju Rice baijiu Shōchū Soju Rye Korn Rye whiskey Starka Sorghum Baijiu (Kaoliang) Multiple grains American whiskey Canadian whisky Other Agave Mezcal Tequila Buckwheat Buckwheat whisky Shōchū Sugarcane or molasses Aguardiente Cachaça Clairin Guaro Rum Seco Herrerano Tharra Various starches Akvavit Horilka Poitín Shōchū Vodka
Liqueurs and infused distilled beverages by ingredients Almond Amaretto Crème de Noyaux Anise Absinthe Arak Hierbas Herbs de Majorca Ouzo Pastis Rakı Sambuca Blackthorn shrub Patxaran Chocolate Chocolate liqueur Cinnamon Tentura Cloudberry Lakka Coconut Malibu Coffee Kahlúa Tia Maria Egg Advocaat Hazelnut Frangelico Herbs Aquavit Bénédictine Brennivín Crème de menthe Metaxa Honey Bärenjäger Drambuie Glayva Krupnik Juniper Gin Jenever Orange Campari Curaçao Triple sec Peppers Pertsivka Star anise Sassolino Sugarcane/molasses Charanda Various fruits Crème de banane Crème de cassis Limoncello Schnapps Sloe gin
Category Portals Liquor Beer Drink Wine WikiProjects Beer Spirits Wine