Dolin Aperitif 'Bonal' a la Gentiane et Quinquina 16% 750ml

Joseph Chavasse arrived in Les Échelles in 1821 at twenty-four years old, having trained as a confectioner in Grenoble and become absorbed by the herbal- and fruit-liqueur traditions of Savoie's small distillers. The same year he began producing vermouth and génépi from his own still, drawing on Alpine herbs sourced from local farmers. In 1830 he relocated production to Chambéry, then a fast-growing French Alpine town becoming the centre of vermouth production. The house passed to the Sevez family in 1905, who have run it through five generations and still own the company.

In 1932 Chambéry was granted the only French Appellation d'Origine for vermouth — Vermouth de Chambéry — distinguishing the local style from those of Marseille, Turin or industrial production. The AOC has three principles: production must take place within Chambéry; aromatisation must be by maceration of real plants rather than pre-prepared infusions; and sweetening is allowed only by grape must, wine and/or sugar. Dolin is now the only producer working under the AOC. The génépi is distilled in the original 1821 alembic from Artemisia glacialis (a true alpine génépi rather than the broader Artemisia umbellifera commonly used).

The current Dolin range covers the three classic vermouth styles (Dry, Blanc, Rouge), the Chamberyzette aperitif (vermouth dry sweetened with strawberry — a Chambéry speciality), the Bonal gentian-quinquina aperitif (a separate house Dolin acquired and continues to make), the Bitter de Chambéry, the Suedois bitter (a darker amaro-style), and two génépi expressions including the higher-strength Génépi le Chamois at 45% (positioned as a Chartreuse alternative). Bag-in-box 5L formats are available for cocktail-program venues running the dry and rouge as house pour.