Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Rouge 16% 750ml

The Alpine rouge that brings finesse to a Negroni, not weight.

• Volume: 750ml
• ABV: 16%
• Origin: Chambéry, Savoie, France
• Style: Vermouth de Chambéry, sweet red (rouge)
• Age: Non-vintage
• Release: Core range

Dolin has made vermouth in Chambéry, in the foothills of the French Alps, since 1821, and remains one of the last independent houses producing Vermouth de Chambéry. The appellation, granted in 1932, was the first in France to protect a vermouth. The Rouge follows a long-standing house recipe: real alpine plants macerated in a high proportion of French wine, then sweetened with real sugar. The result is lighter, fresher and more aromatic than the heavier Italian style.

What it delivers

• Nose: stewed plum, dried orange peel, cinnamon and clove over a savoury herbal lift
• Palate: silky and semi-sweet, with red fruit, gentle spice and a clean quinine bitterness
• Finish: long and dry, orange rind and warm spice fading to soft bitterness
• Serve: over ice with an orange twist, or stirred into a Negroni, Manhattan or Martinez. Keep refrigerated once opened

Why it matters

• Vermouth de Chambéry holds France's only appellation for vermouth, and Dolin is its benchmark producer
• A high wine content and restrained sweetness let the base spirit lead rather than burying it
• The go-to rouge for a Manhattan built on rye or bourbon: bright enough to lift the whiskey, never cloying
• Serious quality at an everyday price, and a back bar essential for home and trade alike