Central Otago Distillers And Winemakers Combine To Create Unique New Zealand Vintage Vermouth

Two of New Zealand’s leading wine and spirits companies have combined their expertise to create two of the country’s first vintage vermouths.

Central Otago distillery Scapegrace has teamed up with their neighbours, and world-renowned winemakers Prophet’s Rock, on the Scapegrace + Prophet’s Rock Vermouth, which will be available in both a red and a white.

The vermouth boasts a distinctly New Zealand flavour having been made almost exclusively with ingredients from Central Otago. The base wine has been made using grapes sourced exclusively from two of Prophets Rocks' single vineyard parcels of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. After being barrel aged for 10 months in French oak, the wine has been infused with Central Otago foraged botanicals, including rosemary, thyme, kanuka and elderflower. Most of the botanicals were foraged from within a few hundred metres of the vineyard, and harvested at their peak ripeness, before being carefully made into tinctures in neutral Scapegrace spirit.

The finished White Vermouth is beautifully bright, dry and herbaceous. The Red Vermouth, rich, spiced and generous.

“The Vermouth really tastes of Central Otago, and the special thing with it being a single vintage is that it reflects the 2022 season as well,” said Prophet’s Rock General Manager and Winemaker Paul Pujol.

“The Vermouth has been built on a foundation of small single parcels of barrel-aged fine wine before we added the botanicals. We’ve brought a high level of craft and an artisanal approach to the project, and you can really taste that in the quality of the Vermouth.”

The two premium producers began working on the idea for the Vermouth four years ago when Scapegrace moved its headquarters near Prophet’s Rock in Central Otago.

“We actually needed them to sign a resource consent for us to operate nearby and we just got chatting and that was the genesis of the vermouth,” says Neal.

“We’re really excited about this collaboration and it’s fantastic to have a premium New Zealand made Vermouth on the market.”

The vintage is extremely limited with only 3,000 bottles for sale. It has an RRP of $72.00 and will be available for trade via Hancocks Wines & Spirits, specialist outlets nationwide or online at https://shop.scapegracedistillery.com/collections/vermouth and www.prophetsrock.co.nz

The Scapegrace Prophet’s Rock vermouth can be enjoyed neat, over rocks, built with soda / tonic / mixer, or in classic vermouth cocktails.

Imagery is available here.

Cocktail Recipes:

Lions Martini

50ml Scapegrace Classic

10ml Scapegrace x Prophets Rock White Vermouth

Dash of orange Bitters

Garnish: Cured Olives

Ice: N/A

Glass: Coupete

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, pack with cubed iced and stir until the mixing glass is frosted. Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with cured olives.

Negroni

20ml Scapegrace Classic Gin

15ml Campari or Local Bitter

30ml Scapegrace x Prophets Rock Red Vermouth

Garnish: Large Orange Slice

Ice: Block or Cubed Ice

Glass: Rocks Glass

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, pack with cubed iced and stir until the mixing glass is frosted. Strain into chilled rocks glass with block or cubed iced in, garnish with a big slice of Orange

Tasting Notes, White Vermouth

Bright, Dry & Herbaceous. The aroma is expressive and intricate with fresh citrus, florals of rosehip and elderflower & dried herbs. The palate starts clean, with balanced sweetness, acidity, and florals, finishing long and complex, with warming wood spices, and the traditional bitterness of wormwood.

Tasting Notes, Red Vermouth

Rich, Spiced & Generous. Aroma is bright & spiced, reminiscent of poached cherries and mulled spice, the palate starts with a sweet wood spice from the kanuka, balanced with citrusy coriander seed and red and blue fruits from the Pinot Noir base wine, finishing savoury and balanced, with horopito spice and wormwood.

About Scapegrace Distilling Co.

Scapegrace Distilling Co is New Zealand’s largest independent spirits company, founded in 2014 by brothers in law Daniel McLaughlin and Mark Neal.

The Scapegrace brand is in 42 markets around the world where it’s known for its exceptional craftsmanship and innovative flavours which boast a taste of New Zealand's adventurous spirit.

Scapegrace gin was voted World’s Best London Dry Gin at the prestigious International Wine & Spirits Competition, London 2018. The distinct packaging has also garnered attention, voted best looking gin bottle in the world alongside the new Tanqueray 10 design at the San Francisco Spirits Competition.

Scapegrace is currently building New Zealand’s largest ever distillery project on the banks of Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. This new spiritual home for the brand will ensure the business keeps up with global demands across its luxury portfolio of Single Malt Whisky, Gin, Vodka and premium RTDs. Shop Scapegrace here.

About Prophet’s Rock

The small team at Prophet’s Rock produces wine from its three estate vineyards in Central Otago. These stunningly beautiful sites span a range of soils, from clay & pedogenic lime to different ages of schist.

A vineyard-centric approach drives an unobtrusive winemaking style, with the aim of producing true reflections of the Prophet’s Rock sites.

Meticulous farming, indigenous yeast, very low extraction, extended élevage, and a collaboration with Burgundian winemaker François Millet are features of our approach.

Shop Prophet’s Rock here.

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