Dolin Blanc Vermouth Half Bottle 37.5cl

Blanc came first. The vermouth makers of Chambéry were producing this style well before anyone in Italy started calling their version Bianco, and Dolin has been at it since 1821.

Thirty-three alpine herbs and spices macerate in sweet white wine. What comes out is pale, silky and floral rather than sugary — broom and elderflower at the start, giving way to fresh almond and white peach. There is sweetness in it, but the sweetness sits underneath the botanicals instead of on top of them.

Bartenders reach for it in a White Negroni and an El Presidente, and it is the quiet fix for a gin drink that needs body without more bitterness. It does something else worth knowing about, too: it makes fruit taste more like itself. Strawberry, melon and pineapple all lift.

Under £10 for a half bottle, which is the right size. This is wine, and it will fade in a cupboard.

How to Serve

Coldest and simplest: two parts Dolin Blanc, sparkling water, a wedge of lemon, plenty of ice. Keep the bottle in the fridge once opened and use it within a month.

Where to Drink It

The Connaught Bar, for a White Negroni built with care. Artesian at The Langham, where the aperitif list rewards a bit of curiosity.

Food Pairings

Green olives and salted almonds will do it. If there is melon and prosciutto on the table, better still.