Lillet Rouge Wine-Based Aperitif, 75 cl

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Made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes, Lillet Rouge is fortified with lemon and orange brandies and quinine, the latter of which acts as a bittering agent. It was introduced to the market in 1962 by Pierre Lillet as a ruby-hued attempt to double down on the success of its predecessor, Lillet Blanc, which had become famous in the 20th century thanks to a number of celebrity endorsements (among them, those from the Duchess of Windsor and Ian Fleming, whose James Bond famously enjoyed it shaken into a Vesper.) They added Blanc to the brand name to capitalize on the fact that most products on the market were still red aperitifs. To serve people who prefer red over white, they released Lillet Rouge in 1962. In 2011, they followed it up with Lillet Rose. What Else Can You Make with Lillet? Though it is made with white wine and flavored with fruit liquors, the bitter flavor and the Kina namesake of the original 1887 release come from its main ingredient: quinine. At the time, quinine was used as a medication to treat malaria.

Lillet Rouge: In 1962, Lillet released the red-wine-based liqueur that is made from a blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes. Lillet Dry (1920–?): A drier formula created for the British market. Some [ who?] consider it the Kina Lillet mentioned by Ian Fleming's character James Bond when he created the Vesper Martini. Lillet falls into a very specific category of beverage, aromatized wine-based aperitif. This style of aperitif is specifically classified to differentiate it from other wine-based aperitifs such as vermouth, because they are made with aromatized wine. Although related to vermouth, aromatized wine-based aperitifs are distinctly flavored with botanicals including herbs, spices, and fruits, but typically do not contain wormwood or the wormwood-like flavors associated with vermouth. Lillet uniquely has no herbs and is instead predominantly fortified with orange cordials. Lillet shares an ingredient with tonic water. Lillet Rouge (1962–present): A red-wine-based liqueur first suggested by the American wine merchant and importer Michael Dreyfus, one of the first to import Lillet into the US Lillet is the preferred drink of serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the series of books written by Thomas Harris.

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A dry martini," he said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet." "Oui, Monsieur." "Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel. Got it?" "Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea. The Vesper was prepared for James Bond in the films Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008). [8] In the Rougeur, Franky Marshall stirs Lillet Rouge with two types of amari (Averna and Cappelletti) plus cherry liqueur for a drink that’s subtly fruity on the front with a pleasantly bitter finish. More Recipes → The two brothers, Raymond and Paul Lillet, established the Lillet brand in 1872. They got the idea to make a white aperitif wine from a doctor who traveled to Brazil for Louis XIV, where he came across the bitter-flavored quinine that is contained in the bark of the cinchona tree. Kina Lillet was the original form of Lillet, first produced in 1887. Due to the higher quinine content, Kina was way more bitter but also sweeter than modern days Blanc version. Today, Lillet offers three types: Lillet Rouge, Lillet Rosé, and Lillet Blanc. Lillet launch on transatlantic liners, with the claim: "Kina-Lillet & Sauternes Lillet can be obtained on all steamers of the Cie Transatlantique. It should always be served iced" [1] :57

LA’s Aaron Polsky, bar manager at Harvard & Stone, agrees that Rouge plays well when incorporated alongside complex, warm spice flavors, like those found in yellow Chartreuse or Don’s Mix. And in his New Yorker in LA Sour, a play on the New York Sour, he uses it in place of red wine, shaking it alongside Bittermens’ pineapple-based Tepache liqueur to play against the characteristically warm, oak-driven flavors in the whiskey. The blend of sweetness, citrus, slight bitterness, and floral-herbal notes make Lillet Blanc extremely versatile. Yet, you can make it even more flavorsome by infusing it with aromatic ingredients like rosemary, thyme, basil, or chamomile. Find sources: "Lillet"– news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR ( December 2018) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Participation in trade exhibitions in Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nantes, Quimper and Clermont-Ferrand [1] :243Like all types of wine, Lillet will start to oxidize as it is exposed to oxygen in the air. But since it is an aromatized wine-based aperitif with a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) than most wine (Lillet contains 17 percent ABV) the process will happen a bit slower than that of an average wine ( the ABV range of unfortified wines is 5.5 to 16 percent, with an average of 11.6 percent). That said, it is best practice to keep Lillet stored in the refrigerator to ensure its freshness lasts. La Maison Lillet is open to visitors. In the 1970s, the grandson of the Lillet brothers removed the Kina and rebranded the product to Lillet only. Kina had become a generic term for beverages containing quinine and seemed superfluous. Kina Lillet (1887–1986): A liqueur made with white wine mixed with fruit liqueurs and flavored with quinine. The "Kina" in its name is derived from quinine's main ingredient: the bark of the kina-kina (or cinchona) tree. The Vesper Martini is a drink known from film and tv, invented by Bond author Ian Fleming. It consists of vodka, gin, and Lillet Blanc. This twist on the classic Martini can is amazingly rich and full-bodied.

These liqueurs are usually citrus-based, made of orange peels from Morocco and Spain. The resulting aperitif wine is slightly stronger than your usual white wine, with 17% alcohol by volume. In 2011, under cellarmaster Jean Bernard Blancheton, rosé Lillet version was introduced. [ citation needed] Advertising and arts [ edit ] In 1962, Pierre Lillet, grandson of Raymond, keen to capitalize on America's growing taste for red wine, created Lillet Rouge for the American market. [ citation needed] This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. In 1887, Pierre and Raymond Lillet created Kina Lillet. Originally blanc, when all other aperitifs were red, Lillet was the only aperitif from a specific geographic location, one of the most famous, the Bordeaux region, or more precisely Great Sauternes region (at that time Sauternes was covering appellations that are now considered as Bordeaux or Graves appellation). [ citation needed]In 1872, the brothers Paul and Raymond Lillet, distillers and merchants of wines and spirits, founded their company La Maison Lillet in Podensac, south of Bordeaux, France. The idea of making aperitifs in Bordeaux came from Father Kermann, a doctor who left Brazil at the beginning of Louis XVI's reign. He returned to France and made Bordeaux his home, where he created liqueurs and fortifiers using herbs like quinine. During that time, Bordeaux became one of the most important places for the European wine business. [1] :13–29 It was also France's main harbour for products imported from the Caribbean islands.