FREIMEISTERKOLLEKTIV Wermut extra trocken 015

Vermouth is a fortified wine which takes its name from “Wermut”, the German word for wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Our VERMOUTH EXTRA TROCKEN 015 consists of over 95% wine and distilled wine. Thus it is clear: an outstanding, quality vermouth requires the best wine. And for the Kollektiv it was clear: a unique vermouth could only be developed if we could find a Freimeister who was both an experienced winemaker and excellent distiller. After a long search, we found who we were looking for in the south-eastern corner of Styria, the so-called volcanic land where the borders of Hungary, Slovenia and Austria meet. Lisa Bauer is a winemaker and distiller who has acquired a wealth of international experience, despite her young age of 28. The perfect Freimeister to create an outstanding vermouth, she is based in a region renowned for the cultivation of Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, the most favored grape variety of the old vermouth recipes. WERMUT EXTRA TROCKEN 015 is derived from a wine made of yellow Muscat grapes (Moscato Giallo), half of which is distilled in a vacuum pot still. Lisa Bauer is one of the few who uses such a facility. The negative pressure generated by this system reduces the boiling point of alcohol (ethanol) from 78°C to around 38°C. Thus the distillation is particularly gentle on the flavors. This rare distillation process is not the only special feature: very few manufacturers use a wine distillate from the same grape variety and harvest to sprinkle the wine. Distillate of wine or grape is usually not used at all in the production of fortified wines such as vermouth, as it is not required by the legislature. Using a distillate derived from the same wine as the one that it is fortified with significantly increases the signature spicy aromas of the yellow Muscat grapes (Moscato Giallo). Meanwhile, the extraction of herbs happens neither in the wine nor wine distillate. Lisa Bauer emphatically prefers extracting the flavors with neutral alcohol, for better control and precision. She mixes a highly concentrated maceration (ratio 1:22) with wine, wine distillate and sugar. The sugar content in WERMUT EXTRA TROCKEN 015 is 26.8 grams per liter, well below the decreed maximum of 30 grams for “extra dry”. Ingredients: Wine and Brandy from Moscato Giallo (Yellow Muscat), Artemisia Absinthium, Acorus Calamus, Dittany (Origanum Dictamnus), Tonka Bean, Achillea, Cardamom, Orris Root, Buck Bean (Menyanthes), Gentian, Sage