NV Caperitif, AA Badenhorst Family Wines

• Style: Fortified vermouth, 40 botanicals, wood-aged
• Taste: Cinnamon, orange blossom, mint, thyme, herbal lift
• Food: Aperitif, digestif, Martini or Negroni base
• Occasion: Weeknight casual, Sunday lunch entertaining
• Serve: Neat or stirred, 16% ABV, serve chilled

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

This fortified wine opens with cinnamon and clove, orange blossom drifting into mint and thyme. The character is immediate yet layered enough for slow sipping, with 16% ABV and a whisper of residual sweetness (57g/L) that sits generously between aperitif and digestif. Old-vine Chenin Blanc keeps the whole composition lifted and precise, preventing the 40 botanicals from overwhelming the palate.

The Winery — AA Badenhorst Family Wines

Adi Badenhorst and cousin Hein founded their estate in 2008 on the Paardeberg, where decomposed granite and iron-rich soils yield fragrant, characterful wines. The Caperitif reimagines historical vermouth recipes using 40 locally sourced botanicals fermented and extracted over months in old wooden casks for full integration. Hand-picked fruit, spontaneous fermentation, and minimal intervention — the house philosophy — allow botanicals to express themselves as living elements rather than mere flavoring additions. The Swartland's warm, dry climate and tradition of low-intervention winemaking have made it a haven for such experimentation, and this vermouth exemplifies why.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Drink Caperitif neat for contemplative aperitif or digestif moments, or stir it into a Martini or Negroni to bring a South African accent to drinks typically rooted in Mediterranean tradition. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly, this is character in a glass—ideal for weeknight unwinding or Sunday lunch entertaining. Drink now, or cellar with confidence for years.