Controcorrente - Vermouth Rosso 2021

Region: Friuli Venezia-Giulia

Size: 750ml

Alcohol: 17%

Enrico Ciroi's 2021 Vermouth Rosso is made over a base wine of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara from Daniele Piccinin, which is then infused with a botanical tincture of thyme, helichrysum and rhubarb, before being fortified with alcohol and sugar. The infusion comes together for a couple months in tank before bottling, where it is then rested for a further three months before release.

The bitter components are well balanced by a rusty mineral, herbal and earthy vegetal flavour with a very long finish. Perfect with a twist of orange in a Spritz, or in a perfect Negroni. Try it with aged cheeses, game or dark chocolate.

PRODUCER

Controcorrente (which in Italian means in the direction opposite to the flow) is the work of Enrico Ciroi - a master in Gastronomic Sciences, who has worked for some very prestigious Italian restaurants. While drinking a Negroni one afternoon, he came to consider the fact that vermouth, despite being made from wine, rarely speaks much of the provenance of its base ingredient. It was then that Enrico had the idea of expanding on the character of the wines he enjoyed most and using them as a starting point to create a vermouth that speaks of where it is from. One producer that Enrico had particularly come to admire was Daniele Piccinin, a leading exponent of organic farming and additive-free winemaking in the Veneto region. After striking up a friendship over a few bottles of wine and sharing his idea, Daniele was more than happy to join forces, and so it came to be that Controcorrente Vermouths would be made with his wines as their base ingredient. Seeking purity and balance flavour in the finished product, Enrico blends with just a handful of botanicals that he feels link to the qualities found in the wine.