Region: Sardegna > Italy

Grapes: Vermentino di Gallura, Cortese

Production Notes: Organic wine blended with infusions of botanicals in pure alcohol, sugar solution added according to recipe. Rested in stainless steel before bottling. 

Producer: Emilio Rocchino

‘Vermouth?,’ you might be thinking, and our answer would be ‘Most definitely!’ But, not just any old vermouth – this Sardegnian stunner is feeding our new aperitivo frenzy in a big way. Tasty enough to drink on its own or over ice, our preference is with a squeeze of lemon + some bubbly wine or sparkling water. It’s an easy breezy cocktail that will take the stress out of your holiday planning, and add some fashion to your fête. If you are hosting this year, impress your guests with a pretty tray and fun glassware with the ingredients displayed and let them create their own spritz version. Or bring as a fun hostess gift for a friend - perfect for the person who has everything because, just like Rock Juice wines, Macchia Vermouth is produced on a tiny scale. In fact, it is a one-man operation with owner, distiller, salesman, and everything else, Emilio Rocchino, running the show.

Emilio is also a bartender on Sardegna in the coastal town of Porto Rotondo, which is the inspiration for the Macchia brand. He noticed that all the spirits and cocktail ingredients available to order were from producers in Milano or Piemonte, or another country altogether, and he decided to create his own line of Sardegnian-inspired, but traditional, Italian spirits. He is using Sardegnian base wine and then hand forages most of the botanicals in and around the Costa Smeralda. Most important is an indigenous lemon called a Pompia, of which there is only 200 hectares planted worldwide. He also harvests wild chamomile, elderflower, mint and more to create the complex recipe. The first thing we notice on the nose is the tropical vibe- pineapple, golden raisin and elderflower, which all seep into the palate as well but are checked by a bright citrus-driven acidity. The finish is silky soft and not too sweet. It definitely gets the saliva going in the corner of our mouths – a job well done for any aperitivo! We also love that its shiny golden hue matches our seasonal decorations, though it’s definitely in our fridge all year! 

STORAGE NOTES: remember vermouth is made from wine – keep it in the fridge! It will last 4-6 weeks without losing its freshness.