Conceito - 7 Mares, White Vermouth, Douro, Portugal

This is a vermouth of intense and fragrant aromas from 32 botanicals and some port base wine - think citrus zest, cucumber, vanilla, a touch medicinal and notes of anise.  A dense and deeply-flavoured, smooth palate. Sweet with refreshing acidity and subtle bitterness. A long and lingering finish.

Rita Ferreira Marques is the head winemaker, general manager, sales manager, wine “ideologist”, agricultural manager and strategist, export director & body and soul of the company. 

Disappointed with Mechanical Engineering, Rita switched and graduated in Oenology in Vila Real and Bordeaux before working in Bordeaux, California, South Africa and New Zealand.

A small-batch project between Rita and her friend, Luis Antunes, a specialist in foraging and producing vermute. They selected a white base wine of good freshness but not too aromatic, so as to better accept the botanicals along with some tawny port. A plethora of botanicals were infused for complexity, and natuarally stabilised.