Vermouth

• Semi-dry vermouth produced by A.A. Badenhorst in The Swartland, South Africa
• 32 locally sourced botanicals featuring clementine, apricot, peach, pear, gooseberry, clove, cinnamon, gentian, rosemary, thyme, rooibos, buchu (aromatic shrub), and nartjie (citrus fruit)
• Base wine of primarily Chenin Blanc; all wines grown and vinified by A.A. Badenhorst
• Fortified using neutral grape spirit the KWV distillery in the Western Cape
• Botanicals are co-macerated in fortified wine for 6–12 months
• Sweetened to 60 g/l of sugar using invert sugar syrup
• Rested in a combination of 225-liter wooden vats and 4,400-liter foudres for 12 months and blended with a portion of matured Caperitif from previous batches before bottling
• Green, stemmy herbs and ripe stone fruit on the nose with notes of tangerine, marjoram, clove, and apricot precede a dry, boldly aromatized palate bursting with white peach, mandarin orange, cinnamon, and chamomile with ruby grapefruit, rosemary, and thyme on a moreish finish
• Beer and Wine License eligible
• 16% ABV

Once lost to time and reformulated by approximation, this historic aperitif is produced using South African wine produced by Adi Badenhorst and locally sourced botanicals including rooibos, naartjie (mandarin orange), and buchu—endemic evergreen shrubs with notes of mint, currant, and rosemary. Caperitif is produced in small batches, which see minor seasonal variances, so a portion of each batch is vatted and blended into new batches, ad infinitum, for consistency. Enjoy this vibrant aperitif as Badenhorst suggests—over ice with equal parts tonic water—or mix with it as you would a vermouth or quinquina, such as Lillet Blanc, in cocktails.