Ferdinand’s Saar Dry Gin 2017

In the border triangle of the Saar valley, where Riesling vines climb steep slate slopes, two brothers teamed up with a master distiller and a winemaking friend to bottle their corner of the world. Their Saar Dry Gin gathers more than thirty hand-picked botanicals from their own cultivation, then marries them to the finest local Riesling grapes, so the wine country and the still speak with one voice.

The nose is strong and spicy, juniper leading with red pepper and a whisper of nutmeg behind it. The palate turns soft and creamy, full-bodied, with that Riesling note lending a quiet fruitiness, before a long finish of citrus, mint and elderflower. Pour it over ice with a good tonic and let the grape character sing.