There's something about a bottle that has travelled through decades without being opened – a weight of history, Roussillon sunshine and a whisper of cinchona bark that still recalls old pharmacy shelves and café tables. Byrrh Vin-Aperitif carries that legacy into every glass.
Expert's Description
Byrrh Vin-Aperitif is a French aromatised wine aperitif from Thuir in Roussillon, made from red wine, mistelle and cinchona bark, with an alcohol strength of 17%. The aperitif was created in 1866 by brothers Simon and Pallade Violet, two cloth merchants from Thuir who spotted an opportunity in the era's wine boom and developed a tonic spiced with cinchona bark, initially sold as a health remedy through pharmacies to sidestep the strict competition rules governing aperitifs at the time. The trademark was registered in 1873, and the name Byrrh is said to derive from a code on a fabric sample card. Between the world wars, Byrrh became one of France's best-selling aperitifs, and by 1935 it accounted for more than half of the French aperitif market. Since 1977, Pernod Ricard has produced Byrrh in the historic cellars in Thuir, part of which were designed by the engineer Gustave Eiffel.
The base is dry red wine from Roussillon, primarily made from Carignan and Grenache grapes, blended with mistelle and infused with crushed cinchona bark and spices such as cinnamon, bitter orange peel, gentian, chamomile and cocoa, before the blend is matured in large oak casks for several years.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Port-like on the nose, with dark dried fruit, caramel and a light bitter herbal tone.
Palate
The palate is full-bodied and rich with coffee, cocoa and a distinct bitterness from the cinchona bark.
Finish
The finish is long and dry, with lingering bitterness and warm spice.
Specifications
Distillery: Caves Byrrh
Region: Thuir, Roussillon, France
Type: Aromatised Wine Aperitif
ABV: 17%
Size: 70 CL
Serving suggestion: Enjoy chilled over ice with a slice of lemon, or as the base of classic cocktails such as the Trocadero.
Flavour Profile
Port-like · Bitter · Cinchona Bark · Coffee · Full-bodied
Did You Know?
Byrrh appeared as an advertising sign in several classic films, including Alfred Hitchcock's Rich and Strange from 1931 and Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan from 1998.
