I dubbed this aperitif the Nurse thanks to its restorative quality for a hangover I woke up with after visiting Noilly Prat’s production facility in Marseillan, France in 2015.
The wine base of Noilly Prat dry vermouth’s original formula is barrel-aged for over two years before the botanicals are added, which yields one of the most complex aromatized wines in the world. I was blown away by Noilly Prat’s versatility as a food pairing with the traditional cuisine of the region (oysters and shellfish) when I visited. Instead of serving it with a lemon as they do in Marseillan, I prefer a cucumber slice to enhance the botanicals and lend melony notes.
The “extra dry” formula of Noilly Prat dry vermouth is made from a wine base that isn’t barrel-aged and lacks the nutty, oxidized notes of the original formula. For the photo, we cut the cucumber wheels into crosses to allude to the cocktail’s “medicinal value.”
Ingredients
Preparation
Build in a chilled wine glass filled with ice. Garnish with the cucumber wheel.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
How to Use Up Your Dry Vermouth
The bottle's not going to drink itself. But you don't have to commit to a dozen martinis.
