Lillet Rouge Aperitif
Lillet Rouge is the red expression of France's classic wine aperitif — 17% ABV (34 proof), 750mL, made in Podensac, south of Bordeaux, from Bordeaux wines (85%) blended with macerated fruit liqueurs (15%) and a quinine backbone — the house dates to 1872 and the Rouge expression itself to 1962. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 17% (34 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Base: Bordeaux wines (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon among them)
- Character: 85% wine / 15% fruit liqueurs, with quinine from Peruvian cinchona bark
- Style: Wine-based aperitif (Rouge)
- Origin: Podensac, Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux's Red Aperitif Since 1872
Maison Lillet has made its aperitifs in Podensac, a village in the Graves south of Bordeaux, since 1872 — wine country making a wine drink. The Rouge, added to the range in 1962, takes the house formula into red territory: Bordeaux reds, led by Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with macerated fruit liqueurs and the quinine bitterness that keeps an aperitif honest. It sits in a delicious middle ground — richer than a vermouth, lighter than a liqueur, unmistakably French. Find it in our wine cellar alongside its white sibling on the aperitif shelf, or see the house on the Lillet vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Ripe dark fruits — blackberry and plum — with fresh orange. Palate: Ripe berries and orange with vanilla and delicate spices, the quinine keeping the sweetness in check. Finish: Supple, long and lingering, made to open an appetite.
How to Enjoy
Serve it the French way: well chilled, over ice in a wine glass with an orange slice. It is also the red-aperitif backbone of a Bordeaux-style Negroni riff and a fine partner for tonic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lillet Rouge made from? Bordeaux wines blended with fruit liqueurs and quinine, made in Podensac, France by Maison Lillet. The Rouge is the red expression; the Blanc is its white counterpart.
Is Lillet Rouge a wine or a liqueur? It is a wine-based aperitif — mostly wine by build, lifted with fruit liqueurs and quinine bitterness, and bottled at 17% ABV, between wine and liqueur strength.
How should Lillet Rouge be stored and served? Like a vermouth: refrigerate after opening and serve well chilled, over ice, or in aperitif cocktails.
Bordeaux in aperitif form — order Lillet Rouge online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.