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Vermouth Borbone Rosso is inspired by a fascinating Neapolitan tradition. Since the mid-1800s “periodiche” - which were meetings among friends, relatives or simple acquaintances - were held in Naples on a weekly basis for entertainment purpose. During these meetings, which took place in the homes of the Bourbon nobility as salons, opera singers hired by the hosts performed arias or Neapolitan traditional songs; sometimes the entertainer was a comedian who performed in the so-called "macchiette", that was a stand-up thing  – a mixture between a monologue and a comic song -  while a cold refreshment was served. In the more modest homes instead of opera singers and artists, people settled for a grammophone to listen to songs and macchiette, and - instead of expensive cold refreshments - cheaper "tarallucci and wine" were served or pinocchiate (desserts prepared with whipped egg white, sugar and pine nuts) and sweet casarecci (simple biscuits made of flour, sugar, eggs and olive oil), rosoli were served in winter  and ice cream sundaes in summer. When the use of homemade rosolio was discontinued, the more expensive vermouth was served with the pinocchiate. Later, during the summer months, the pinocchiate were accompanied by beer and no longer by vermouth.

 However, it sometimes happened, above all in the less wealthy classes, that only some families were so hospitable as to keep alive the tradition of the weekly meetings by taking on the related expenses for entertainment and refreshment and there was someone who, for stinginess, took the bad habit of taking advantage of other people hospitality by participating in every meeting without ever welcoming people in his home and of course without incurring in any expense so as to arise the grievances of those who, annoyed, felt authorized to ask him: "Are you always drinking Vermouth at my expenses? "

 

 

But why mention Vermouth in particular? The answer lies in the fact that tarallucci, wine, rosolio or beer were local products cheaper than vermouth which was a more expensive imported product that could easily arise the annoyance of the host towards the profiteer. Precisely in those years, it became customary among the nobles and the "populace" to produce a Neapolitan vermouth by reusing walnuts and spices discarded from the production of Nocino in order to flavor white wine and Marsala. Vermouth Borbone Rosso, made from Trebbiano and Moscato wines flavored with gentle absinthe, bitter orange, rhubarb, quassia and vanilla, has an elating scent with pleasant hints of spices and fruits. On the palate it tastes herbaceous and bitter and it reveals an acidity that leaves room for the balanced flavor between the warm alcoholic perception and the spicy sweetness, in a soft and fresh taste with a long round and persistent finish.

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