Vinmouth (yes the name is a little odd) is a project started by 4 friends in France: Jean-Luc Josse, Julien Cohen, Lise Jousset and Bertrand Jousset. This merry band is unified by a love of vermouth, and a wish to make one that is unique and speaks to a sense of place. The base wine to make this vermouth is 100% Gros Manseng from Domaine Jean Daugé in Southwest France. The domaine is biodynamic and has no SO2 added to the wine. The style of vermouth here is a blanc (aka bianco/blanco), which means a botanical profile closer to a dry vermouth but with the sweetness level of a sweet/red vermouth. Vinmouth in particular doesn't sweeten with sugar, instead using unfermented grape must to emphasize the wine. This in combination with the botanicals gives notes of marjoram, quince paste, rosemary and sandalwood. Either combined with club soda or on the rocks, this natural vermouth is an amazing aperitif with incredible sophistication and subtlety. Just be careful with autocorrect when typing in the name of this "Vin"-mouth.
-Marco
