Matthiasson No. 9 Sweet Vermouth, Napa Valley, California

Matthiasson No. 9 Sweet Vermouth, Napa Valley, California is built around a rare wine grape with an unusual history. Its solera base is mainly Flora, a cross of Sémillon and Gewürztraminer developed at UC Davis for fortified wines, blended with smaller amounts of Viognier and Muscat of Alexandria. The multi-vintage wine, with components dating back to 2015, is then layered with fruit, herbs and botanicals grown or selected by the Matthiassons for a richly aromatic, bittersweet vermouth.

Product Details:

• Base Wine: Multi-vintage solera blend, mainly Flora, a Sémillon and Gewürztraminer cross, with smaller amounts of Viognier and Muscat of Alexandria; oldest component dates to 2015
• Botanicals: Cardoons, wormwood, coriander seed, cinchona bark and blessed thistle
• Fruit: Homegrown blood oranges and sour cherries
• Sweetening: Organic cane sugar
• Harvest: Grapes picked very late, with some botrytis and raisining at harvest
• Fermentation: Skin-fermented with daily punchdowns
• Maceration: At least one week before pressing
• Infusion: Fruit, herbs and spices infused in neutral grape brandy
• Aging: Base wine aged in old brandy casks and neutral French oak barrels, then folded into a solera; vermouth aged further before bottling
• Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered; natural sediment from plant oils may develop in bottle
• ABV: 17%
• Production: 201 cases
• Producer: Matthiasson Wines
• Owners: Jill and Steve Matthiasson
• Aperitif Producers: Jill and Steve Matthiasson

Sensory Description:

The nose opens with layered herbal and spice notes of mint, fennel, clove and nutmeg. Orange zest, pine, fig and cherry cola follow on the palate, where the sweetness and fruit are held in balance by a lightly bitter finish. The solera adds further depth, with dried-fruit and nutty character from older wine components meeting the fresher citrus notes of younger wine.

Producer’s Background:

Jill and Steve Matthiasson founded their independent Napa winery in 2003 after years working in agriculture and local food. Their farmhouse vermouth, first released in 2011, grew from a practical winemaking impulse: a wine that had fermented too far could be aromatized, fortified and sweetened rather than discarded. The project reflects their interest in farming, unusual grape varieties and finding thoughtful uses for what the vineyard and cellar provide.

Serving Suggestions:

For a spritz, pour over ice, add club soda and finish with an orange twist. It also works in a Boulevardier, Blood & Sand, Negroni or Manhattan, or served neat in a small aperitif glass. Pair it with a cheese plate or dessert.