Unlike its cousin vermouth, which is often made from a simple white base wine, this has a Barolo base. It delivers the power and depth of a Barolo wine, augmented by a seamless blend of herbs and spices, making it perfect alongside dessert or as a digestive. On the palate you will find just a touch of quinine followed by peppermint, anise, juniper, cardamom, root beer, and vanilla. As if that were not enough, these are all presented on a backdrop of red fruits making for an elegant and harmonious whole.

Renowned as a “cure” for the common cold and numerous other ailments, Barolo Chinato’s primary ingredient, china “key-NA”, is Italian for quinine and does in fact have anti-inflammatory properties along with menthol as a secondary ingredient. While the recipe is a closely guarded secret, it is believed to contain anise, juniper, rhubarb roots, gentian, orange peels, cloves, and cardamom seeds. The family still grinds the botanicals in stone mortars and allows them to macerate in the wine for 8 weeks at room temperature. The wine is then fortified to 17% and allowed to mature in oak for up to one year.