Lustau Vermut Rojo, Andalucia, Spain

Ripe dried fruit, citrus peel, toasted nuts, and aromatic herbs unfold over a subtle foundation of smoked wood. Lustau Vermut Rojo brings together dry, nutty Amontillado and rich Pedro Ximénez with a carefully measured selection of botanicals, allowing the character of mature Sherry to remain at the center of the vermouth. Its balance of sweetness, bitterness, oxidative depth, and botanical freshness reflects Lustau’s distinctive approach to bringing the traditions of Jerez into the aperitif glass.

Product Details:

• Owner: Luis Caballero Group
• Master Blender: Fernando Pérez
• Cellar Master: Sergio Martínez
• Base Wine: Amontillado and Pedro Ximénez Sherry
• Grapes: Palomino and Pedro Ximénez
• Botanicals: 10 botanicals, with wormwood, sage, coriander seeds, and orange peel among the key ingredients
• Infusion: Botanicals are macerated separately before their aromatic essences are incorporated into the wine
• Aging: Base wines are aged individually through the traditional Solera y Criaderas system; producer lists 10 years
• Resting: Approximately six months after botanical incorporation for integration
• pH: 3.12
• Total Acidity: 4 g/L
• Volatile Acidity: 0.32
• Residual Sugar: 155 g/L
• Density: 1.047
• ABV: 15%

Sensory Description:

Deep mahogany with reddish highlights, the vermouth opens with ripe and dried fruit layered with citrus peel, herbaceous tones, toasted nuts, and a subtle smoked-wood character. The palate is velvety and flavorful, with Pedro Ximénez providing richness and sweetness while Amontillado contributes dryness, structure, and savory nuttiness. Herbal and citrus elements bring definition through the mid-palate, leading to a gently bitter finish marked by hazelnut, dried fruit, and lingering spice.

Awards & Accolades:

• Grand Gold: ISW Meininger's International Spirits Award, April Tasting 2024
• Gold: ISW Meininger's International Spirits Award, April Tasting 2023, 2025
• Silver: International Wine Challenge 2025; International Wine & Spirit Competition 2024; International Wine & Spirit Competition, Alternative Drinks 2022; Hong Kong IWSC 2021
• Alternative Drinks Silver: International Wine & Spirit Competition 2023
• Bronze: International Wine Challenge 2026; International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021

Producer’s Background:

Lustau traces its origins to 1896, when José Ruiz-Berdejo began cultivating his family vineyard and producing wines as an almacenista for larger Sherry houses. His daughter María Ruiz-Berdejo Alberti expanded the operation in 1931, and by 1945 the family was bottling wines under its own brands. Lustau joined the Spanish family-owned Luis Caballero Group in 1990 and today maintains its principal aging cellars in six restored nineteenth-century bodega buildings. Fernando Pérez has served as Master Blender since 1990 and oversees the production of Lustau’s vermouths, while Cellar Master Sergio Martínez cares for the wines and soleras that form their foundation. Vermut Rojo, introduced as part of Lustau’s modern revival of Sherry-based vermouth, places mature fortified wine at the center of the recipe rather than treating it simply as a neutral vehicle for botanicals.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve: Between 7 and 9 degrees Celsius over ice in a rocks glass with a strip of orange peel
• Aperitif: Enjoy before a meal with olives, roasted nuts, pickles, cheeses, or high-quality tinned seafood
• Cocktails: Use in a Negroni, Manhattan, Boulevardier, or other vermouth-driven cocktails where its Sherry character can add nutty depth and richness
• Pairings: Match with savory tapas, cured meats, aged cheeses, salted almonds, or other small plates with enough intensity to complement its sweet-bitter profile

Why Lustau Vermut Rojo:

Lustau Vermut Rojo stands apart through the prominence of its Sherry base. Mature Amontillado contributes dry, nutty complexity while Pedro Ximénez provides sweetness, body, and dried-fruit depth, with the botanical recipe adding bitterness and aromatic lift rather than overwhelming the wines. Its combination of substantial Sherry character, measured sweetness, and versatile bitter-herbal structure makes it equally convincing as a traditional Spanish aperitif or as a richly flavored cocktail vermouth.