THE CAPERITIF is a vermouth-styled aperitif - an aromatised fortified wine. The addition to a wine of numerous botanicals, fruits, alcohol, sugar and bitters inherently changes the nature of the wine. It becomes vermouth. Vermouth or in German ”Wermut” ( “wer” means man; “mut” means courage, spirit or English ‘wormwood’ ).
A high quality white wine base is the starting point – this is made on Kalmoesfontein. To this wine, a neutral grape-derived alcohol spirit is added to increase the alcohol to 16.5vol%. Once this is level of alcohol is achieved, we follow the propriety recipe or formula and add 46 different ingredients. These ingredients include a variety of fruits, garden herbs, spices, a bouquet of various flowers, some roots and barks for bitterness as well as the distinctive and unique Fynbos. Fynbos is the collective name for the 8500 different species of plants that grow here in the Cape Floral Region. Many of these plants have been harvested and utilised for medicinal purposes for thousands of years and are intensely aromatic, imparting a unique aroma to the CAPERITIF.
A portion of each batch is matured in old oak casks and blended back into the “fresh”
CAPERITIF to add even more complexity to the final product. CAPERITIF can be enjoyed like most aperitifs or vermouths – simply with ice. For suggestions on how best to drink CAPERITIF and for a collection of classic recipes please visit our website www.caperitif.com
