Review: 9 di Dante Inferno Sweet Vermouth
From its circles-of-hell logo design to the dark black bottle to, well, the name of the product, 9 di Dante really wants to evoke Dante’s La Divina Comedia with this Italian, rosso vermouth. It certainly has an unusual construction, blended in equal parts from wines made from Dolcetto and Cortese grapes, the latter a white wine from Piedmont. That doesn’t seem so devilish, though, does it?
The color of the wine bears out its unusual blend: It has more of a bright ruby color than most sweet vermouths, which tend toward a more brownish brick red. The nose showcases lots of berries and a healthy orange peel character, while the palate takes that base and slowly takes things toward the bitter end of the spectrum. A healthy slug of gentian, ginger, and some dried baking spice notes give the wine a lasting pungency, though it’s never overpowering. Mixes nicely, too, showcasing chocolate notes in a Manhattan.
17.5% abv.
A- / £24 (not sold in the U.S.) / 9didante.com
9 di Dante Inferno Sweet Vermouth
£24
