El Bandarra Blanco Sweet Vermouth 1L

El Bandarra comes from the Virgili family, fifth-generation winemakers in Catalonia's Penedès region who spent more than two decades selling their aperitivo by the barrel to small local wine shops before bottling it under their own name in 2014. The brand kept its playful, retro character as it grew, eventually crossing into the UK market in 2020, and the wine itself is produced by Martí Serdà.

The Blanco is built on a base split evenly between Garnacha Blanca and Xarel·lo grapes grown around Catalunya, macerated with more than forty botanicals and herbal extracts, including vanilla and wormwood, to give the vermouth its bittersweet backbone. It is bottled at fifteen percent alcohol, making it a lighter-bodied style suited to long, easy sipping.

Clear and pale golden in the glass, it opens with aromas of vanilla, mint, and citrus alongside notes of fresh grapes. The palate is bright and appetizing, with sweet and bitter flavors trading off before a touch of acidity closes out the finish. Serve it generously over ice with a slice of lemon, or set it out alongside jamón and manchego for a simple Catalan-style aperitivo.