Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge
Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge is the original French sweet vermouth — 16% ABV (32 proof), 750mL, made in Chambery in the Savoie Alps by Maison Dolin. More than fifty alpine botanicals — wormwood, gentian, cinchona, coriander, hyssop, rhubarb, citrus peel, thyme — are macerated directly in Ugni Blanc wine for weeks, sweetened with real sugar (about 130 g/L) and fortified with grape spirit. The recipe has not changed since 1821, and the Sevez family has run the house since 1905. It pours copper-amber and tastes lighter and drier than its Italian cousins: dried cherry and prune, walnut, orange zest, cinnamon and gingerbread over a clean, dry-herbaceous finish. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 16% (32 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Sweet red vermouth — aromatized, fortified wine
- Base: Ugni Blanc wine
- Botanicals: 50+ alpine plants macerated in the wine; no extracts; real sugar only (~130 g/L)
- Origin: Chambery, Savoie, French Alps
- Producer: Maison Dolin — Sevez family since 1905; recipe unchanged since 1821
- Heritage: Chambery received France's only vermouth appellation in 1932
The Vermouth From the Alps
Chambery sits at the foot of the French Alps, and Dolin's botanicals grow in those mountains — the vermouth tastes of its place: alpine herbs, dried fruit and a distinctive freshness that made it the bartender's choice for a lighter Manhattan, where the whiskey leads and the vermouth supports. It also anchors the aperitif shelf in our wine collection; browse the full Dolin range for the dry and blanc siblings.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fruit compote, dried cherry and prune, walnut, citrus zest. Palate: Pear, cinnamon, gingerbread, tobacco, oregano and hyssop with a Sichuan-pepper flicker; sherry-like nuttiness. Finish: Light, fresh, lightly sweet, clean and dry-herbaceous.
How to Enjoy
As an aperitif over ice with a citrus twist, it is effortlessly elegant. In a Manhattan it lets the whiskey lead; in a Negroni it keeps things bright. Pairs with charcuterie, black olives, cured meats and nutty cheeses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is vermouth? A fortified wine flavored with botanicals — here, more than fifty alpine plants macerated in Ugni Blanc wine, sweetened with real sugar and fortified with grape spirit.
How do you drink Dolin Rouge? Chilled over ice with a citrus twist as an aperitif, or as the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan or Negroni.
What makes Chambery special? Chambery earned France's only appellation for vermouth in 1932, and Dolin — family-run since 1905 — still makes it there from an 1821 recipe.
The lighter, drier sweet vermouth — order Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Rouge online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.