Dolin Chambéryzette Strawberry Aperitif

A historic and singular product from the Dolin house, Chambéryzette is a true original, a blend of Dolin's celebrated Chambéry Dry Vermouth with wild strawberry liqueur, a combination that has been produced in the Savoie region for well over a century. It is, in essence, a category of one. The name itself is a nod to Chambéry, the Alpine town that holds the only French appellation specifically granted to vermouth, and where the local tradition of flavouring dry vermouth with the intensely fragrant fraise des bois, wild woodland strawberry, dates back to the late 19th century. This is not a novelty product; it is a piece of living drinks history. Pale salmon-pink in the glass, it is immediately arresting without being garish. The nose is delicate and genuinely complex, the herbal, floral and citrus character of Chambéry Dry vermouth interweaving with the small, perfumed wild strawberry, which is quite distinct from its cultivated cousin: more fragrant, more tart, less sweet. There are hints of Alpine botanicals, white flowers and a dry, almost dusty earthiness underneath. On the palate it is refreshingly light and dry for a fruit-forward aperitif, with a natural acidity that keeps everything lively and prevents any sense of cloying sweetness. The finish is clean, herbal and long, with the strawberry fading gracefully into the vermouth's botanical complexity.