When tasting wine, whether at an organized event, a wine dinner, or just with a group of friends in a wine club format, I find it's good to have a warm up drink. The wines at the beginning of a tasting never get a fair shake compared to those tasted when your palate hit its stride, say by taste three or so. This has led me on a quest for the perfect warm up drink, which I think I have found.
The Perfect is equal parts sweet and dry vermouth (white and red) on the rocks with a lemon twist. The base of vermouth is wine, so it seems to jibe with an evening of wine while remaining different enough as to not pre-flavor drastically. All together, this drink is in the upper 30's proof area so it won't skew you like a cocktail. It has many flavors of citrus and spices and walks a good path along the worlds of flavors. Mostly, though, it is cold, refreshing, and tastes good, while still being a cocktail.
I use the Perfect as my palate warm up/refresher anytime I am walking into a wine tasting after say 3 pm when the day has crushed my palate. I suggest you try it as well.
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