Absentroux Herbal Wine with Wormwood
A bright green botanical drink that’s handmade in France
At this year’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, we stumbled upon the rather distinct absinthe herbal wine Absentroux. The dynamic drink marries the absinthe and wine experiences, with the predominant note being the rich anise taste associated with the former, but the mellow sensations and smooth finish more akin to the latter. Absentroux is produced at Distilleries de Provence, within Forcalquier, France. It’s a blend of Ugni blanc, Clairette blanche and Grenache blanc wines—coupled with fennel, verbena, lemon balm, juniper, coriander and more. The botanicals are macerated in a neutral spirit, then pressed for essential oil extraction. The entire concoction is then fortified. This process is done by hand, though the techniques incorporate modern technology.
Absentroux delivers an alcohol content of 18%—so unlike absinthe, this won’t knock drinkers to the floor. This proof also makes it ideal for mixing. Whether it’s in the form of a spritzer, partnered with something hearty like bourbon, or simply imbibed neat there’s nothing quite like it on the market. Don’t let the bright green coloration—something common with wormwood spirits—alarm you. You can purchase Absentroux online for $22, with shipping to many US states.
Images courtesy of Absentroux
