Guerin Vermouth Rouge
Guerin Vermouth Rouge is a 750mL French sweet red vermouth from the Charentes — Merlot and Cabernet with red Pineau des Charentes, botanicals and Cognac-cask aging, from the Puy Gaudin family that pioneered Pineau after WWII. Double Gold at the 2020 John Barleycorn Awards, 91 points and Gold at the 2022 Bartender Spirits Awards. For a Manhattan that tastes like more than the sum of its parts, order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: low-ABV vermouth (importer does not publish a figure — no ABV stated in copy)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: sweet red vermouth
- Origin: Charentes, Southwest France; produced by Société Puy Gaudin
- Production: Merlot & Cabernet wine base + red Pineau des Charentes, caramelized grape juice, botanicals (angelica, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, bitter orange peel); aged several months in Cognac casks
- Recognition: Double Gold, 2020 John Barleycorn Awards; 91 pts + Gold, 2022 Bartender Spirits Awards; 90 pts, Wine Enthusiast 2020
The Sweet Red, Awarded Three Times Over
Before Guerin made dry vermouths, it made this: a classic sweet rouge built the Pineau way. Robert Guerin was a Chenac-sur-Gironde winegrower who turned to Pineau des Charentes at the end of WWII; his children founded Société Puy Gaudin, now a leader among Pineau producers — and the vermouth line is their new creation from the same impulse. The Rouge takes fresh cherries and coriander and red fruit, softens them in Cognac casks, and earns medals everywhere it goes: Double Gold at John Barleycorn, Gold at the Bartender Spirits Awards, 90 points from Wine Enthusiast. This is the sweet vermouth for drinkers who thought they'd tried them all. Browse the range in our Vermouth Guerin collection and our cocktail essentials.
Tasting Notes
Fresh cherries bring fruitiness with a light green touch; the first sip is soft, frank and well-balanced. Coriander and red fruits reveal themselves on a tasty finish. Rich without heaviness — the Pineau base keeps it vibrant rather than syrupy.
How to Enjoy
The classic Manhattan and Negroni calls, obviously — but try it as a low-ABV apéritif over ice with an orange slice, the French way. It also makes a superb Americano.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sweet red or dry red — which Guerin should I buy?
This Rouge is the classic sweet style (Manhattans, Negronis, apéritif pours); the Dry Red is the savory, cocktail-forward outlier. Most bars want both.
What do the awards mean?
Double Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards (2020) is a top-tier spirits medal; 91 points/Gold at the 2022 Bartender Spirits Awards means working bartenders judged it best-in-class for mixing.
How long does it keep open?
Refrigerate after opening and use within about two months — like all vermouths, it fades with air exposure.
For an award-winning French sweet red, buy Guerin Vermouth Rouge online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.