Fernando de Castilla Dark Vermut, Jerez

Fernando de Castilla Dark Vermut is a Sherry-based red vermouth from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla in the historic centre of Jerez. Vermouth was once widely made in Jerez, but production there died out in the late 1960s, and Fernando de Castilla, a registered vermouth producer, has revived the tradition. The base is a blend of old Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherries, made from Palomino and Pedro Ximénez grapes and aged in cask for around eight years, which is then infused with 27 botanicals, including wormwood. It is bottled at 17%.

In the glass it is a deep mahogany. The nose is rich, with dried fruit, raisins, nuts, woody spices and herbal notes. The palate is full-flavoured, sweet and silky, with toffee and dried fruit, balanced by the refreshing, bitter bite of wormwood on the finish.

Serve well chilled over plenty of ice with a slice of orange, topped up with a splash of soda if you like, as a classic Spanish aperitif alongside olives, crisps, anchovies and other tapas. It also makes an excellent base for cocktails such as a Negroni or a Manhattan. Keep the bottle in the fridge once opened and enjoy it within a few weeks.

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla is a small, independent Sherry house in the historic centre of Jerez de la Frontera. Its roots lie with the Andrada-Vanderwilde family, who produced grapes and wine for Sherry for around two centuries. In 1972 Fernando Andrada-Vanderwilde created the Fernando de Castilla brand, first for a fine brandy and later for Pedro Ximénez and Sherry vinegar. In 1999 the bodega was bought by Jan Pettersen, a Norwegian who had worked in Jerez since 1983, including 15 years at Osborne, and who also took over the cellars of the neighbouring almacenista José Bustamante. The house now focuses on complex Sherries bottled without fining, clarification or aggressive filtration. Its Antique range of single-solera wines, aged for up to 30 years, has built its reputation, and the bodega has also revived the old Jerez tradition of vermouth.