La Quintinye Vermouth Royal is a series of vermouths named after Louis XIV’s gardener Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie. Being Louis XIV’s gardener was not just weeding and trimming bushes – no, Jean-Baptiste helped design and develop the beautiful gardens at Versailles. A total of 800 ha of beautiful, sculpted classical gardens were under Jean-Baptiste’s skilled hands. He was also responsible for delivering fruit, vegetables and herbs to the king when he was in Versailles. The vermouths are based on Jean-Baptiste’s unique knowledge of herbs and plants and are based on Pineau de Charentes, which matches the spicy flavor wonderfully. The vermouths are not colored with caramel color and have the same base of 12 herbs, however the red has 28 ingredients, the dry 27 and the white (sweet) 18 ingredients. La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Extra Dry is a dry vermouth. It is spiced with bittersweet notes of green herbs. It has notes of citrus peel, and the Pineau de Charentes character comes through nicely. Hints of buttery notes and a little grape character. A little peppery in the finish, but it goes well with the wormwood notes. A very complex vermouth. Great in a dry martini. Can be used instead of Martini Dry, Noilly Prat and other dry vermouths.
Maison Villevert is a French spirit producer located in the Cognac district. The house produces various grape-based spirit products. At Maison Villevert, they believe that ‘Grapes are the world’s noblest fruit, and are superior to all other fruits’. That is why all their products have a touch of grapes.
Maison Villevert produces the gins G’Vine Floraison and Nouaison Gin, by G’Vine, as well as June, by G’Vine (grape flower-gin liqueur with peach flavor), a vermouth series called La Quintinye Vermouth Royal, or LQVR, which is based on Pineau the Charentes. The vermouth series comes in three varieties: Extra Dry, Blanc and Rouge.
In addition, the house produces a tequila series, Excellia Tequila – a 100% agave tequila, which is aged in old Cognac and Sauterne casks, including grape ice. There is a Blanco, a Reposado and an Anejo. The Maison Villevert house itself is located in Merpins, 18 km west of the Cognac House Frapin and 20 km northwest of the Cognac House François Voyer, close to the town of Cognac, on the border with Charente-Maritime. Maison Villevert also produces its own cognac.