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Botella de Fernando de Castilla Vermut Rojo con cápsula naranja y etiqueta diamante; Jerez, vinos oloroso y Pedro Ximénez
Rojo

Jerez

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla / Vermutpedia

Red · Medium-sweet

Fernando de Castilla Vermut Rojo

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla

Jerez , España

No score

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Overall impression

Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla's red vermouth recovers Jerez vermouth tradition with a base of Jerez wines — Palomino and Pedro Ximénez — impregnated with up to 27 natural botanicals (wormwood, lemon and orange peel, clove, among others), according to fernandodecastilla.com. The label states it clearly: aged Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez wines from Jerez, and local botanicals macerated in American oak butts; also «Matured in Sherry Cask» and «Original Recipe» (Est. 1837). 17% vol., 75 cl. Semisweet profile with bodega soul: Oloroso and PX raised in solera (documented average age around eight years) before botanical maceration in butt. Part of a range that also includes Vermut Blanco on Palomino and Moscatel. For Vermutpedia, Fernando de Castilla Rojo is a modern premium reference of Jerez vermouth: more alcohol, more ageing and more botanicals than many commercial reds, with salinity and elegance typical of the Marco de Jerez.

Nose and palate

Pending evaluation. Trade sheet / label: dark mahogany colour; aged Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez base; up to 27 local botanicals macerated in American oak butts; serve on ice with orange slice or peel.

How to serve it

Fernando de Castilla recommends serving it on ice with orange slice or peel; perfect in cocktails such as Manhattan or Negroni, according to the official website. Also works as a slow aperitif with olives, cockles, ibérico ham and anchovies — classic Jerez pairing. 17% vol. supports ice without losing personality; in Negroni it brings semisweet sweetness and salinity that balance bitter gin and bitter. In Manhattan, it replaces Italian vermouth when seeking PX and Oloroso layers. Serve cold, in a wide glass or old fashioned according to occasion; orange peel enhances citrus and spices without masking the bodega.

Production context

Per label and official sheet: aged Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez wines from Jerez (Palomino and PX grapes); impregnation with up to 27 local natural botanicals macerated in American oak butts. Distribution and press sources place base-wine ageing around eight years in solera and maceration of about two or three months. 17% vol., 75 cl. Range: Vermut Rojo and Vermut Blanco (Palomino/Moscatel). Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla, C/ Jardinillo 7-11, Jerez de la Frontera. Piece verifiable at fernandodecastilla.com/producto/vermut-rojo-copia/.

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