Saison Aperitifs Spring Rhubarb (2023)

REGION: Melbourne, VIC
SIZE: 750ml / ABV: 17.5%

For Saison, nothing screams Spring like rhubarb – it's crunchy, tart, subtly sweet, and perfectly balanced straight from nature. Spring Rhubarb is bright, energetic, and profoundly pink. Chef Dave Verheul works with two organic farmers, both named Jo, who are passionate about growing good things in the right way. | With his extensive culinary background, Dave relies on intuition and experience, mostly earned the hard way, to make subtle improvements with each batch. “In spirits and liquor, people expect things to taste the same all the time, Saison is intentionally different each year, and with incremental improvements each time.” Saison aims to capture a singular, seasonal ingredient-led flavour that is brighter, fresher and intentionally uncomplicated to match with food and enliven the palate.

As with all Saison releases Spring Rhubarb is fresh and not hunkered down with caramelised sugars and dense spices like others in its category. Spring Rhubarb begins with a blush Moscato, infused with raw and cooked rhubarb for a tangy crunch and sweet earthy complexities. Violets, lavender flowers, late winter magnolias and lilacs are added into both macerations and then blended and aged with roasted rhubarb, lilac blossoms, coriander seed and two kinds of wormwood in tank. To serve, Dave says keep it simple with a refreshing “Spring Rhubarb spritz with tonic.” Garnish with citrus or something pretty.

The seasonal vermouths from Dave Verheul's 'Saison' range need no introduction. Dave has been hand-making his fine, gastronomic vermouths for a few years now - initially in the kitchen of his Melbourne restaurant Embla, and more recently in his own vermouthery.