Belsazar Vermouth White

Volume: 0.75 litres | Alcohol content: 18% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Belsazar White is based on a Gewürztraminer cuvée and a cuvée of sweet wines. The wines come from the Kaiserstuhl and Markgräflerland in southern Baden. Apple brandy from Schladerer complements the wine base, while regional grape must provides sweetness. Wormwood and other botanical extracts create a spicy, bitter counterpoint.

Once the ingredients have been combined, the vermouth rests in stoneware vessels. This allows the components to meld without adding woody notes. The golden-coloured White has a gentle, sweet aromatic profile with a light vanilla note, dried peach and orange; herbs and spices complement the fruit.

At 18% alcohol, Belsazar White is suited to drinking over ice, with tonic water or in cocktails. A serving temperature of 4 to 6 °C suits its style. Refrigerate the bottle after opening.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, spicy and fruity impressions mingle with floral notes.
• Palate: On the palate, the vermouth is full-bodied, spicy and sweet. A subtle bitter nuance rounds out the flavour.
• Finish: The finish is clean and gently bitter, with a fresh character.

Distillery/Bottler:

Maximilian Wagner and Sebastian Brack founded Belsazar with the idea of creating a German vermouth that brings together Berlin's bar culture and winemaking in southern Baden. Production takes place in the Breisgau in collaboration with Schladerer. This family-owned company from the Black Forest has been making fruit brandies since 1844 and supplies the fruit distillates for the vermouth recipes.

Belsazar uses maceration to add flavour: herbs, spices, flowers and peels release their aromas into the liquid in large glass demijohns. Wormwood is a central ingredient. The brand combines these extracts with regional wines, fruit brandy and grape must; the subsequent resting period in flavour-neutral vessels allows these ingredients to come together.

Facts: