VERMOUTH IS A COMBINATION OF WINE, WORMWOOD AND VARIOUS BOTANICALS, WHICH THROUGH THE AGES HAS BEEN USED FOR REASONS BOTH MEDICINAL AND MAGICAL. A VITAL COCKTAIL COMPONENT AS WELL AS INHERENTLY DRINKABLE ON ITS OWN, VERMOUTH IS AN UNCHALLENGED STAPLE.
Originally from France, Gilles Lapalus is the winemaker at Sutton Grange Winery in Victoria and along with Shaun Byrne, previously at the Gin Palace in Melbourne, they have developed a range of vermouths using native and imported botanicals.
Thirty four botanicals go into making Maidenii Vermouth, twelve of which are native Australian. The composition remains a secret but you’ll find strawberry gum, wattle seed, sea parsley and river mint among the native ingredients. Wormwood and wine, being the vital components that go into making vermouth are sourced from Victoria.
The vermouth is named after Joseph Maiden, a pioneer in cataloguing Australian botany and its medical and gastronomical qualities. The vermouth is pronounced maiden-eye not
maiden-knee with a French slant as we originally thought.
You’ll find three vermouths in the range and what sets Maidenii apart is that they use different grape varieties for each style.