Bolney Rosso English Vermouth

Product of: United Kingdom

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Made at the Bolney Estate in Sussex, England with wine produced on the estate, Rosso is a fortified wine aromatised with botanicals growing in Bolney’s own vineyard hedgerows.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 11/07/2018

Appearance:

Clear, deep brown amber. (Perhaps overuse of caramel?)

Aroma:

Slightly jammy berry fruit – sloe berries and blackcurrant, caramel and wormwood with faint rose and elderflower blossom.

Taste:

Bittersweet – bitter herbal wormwood notes and tart acidity balance, perhaps over balance, rich berry and slightly jammy fruit.

Aftertaste:

Long lingering wormwood bitterness, jammy berry fruit and delicate spice.

Overall:

Despite the use of “mixology” on the front label we were excited to try this English vermouth. Wormwood herbal flavours and accompanying bitterness are very evident, making this bittersweet sweet vermouth on the dry side compared to other less challenging sweet vermouths. However, this herbal bitterness is partially offset by jammy berry fruits makes this vermouth quaffable rather than cloying. Delicate floral notes are evident in the nose but somewhat overwhelmed on the palate.