Cardamaro Vino Amaro

Piedmont, Italy

• Enjoy as an aperitif or digestif
• Pair with salty cheeses, nuts and charcuterie
• Primarily flavored with cardoon and blessed thistle
• Substitute for whiskey in low-ABV cocktails; great with cider
• Use as an amber vermouth with whiskey or apple brandy
• Product of an 8th-generation winemaker in Canelli d’Asti, Italy

Cardamaro comes from an Italian family producing wine and amaro since 1820 in Canelli, in the very heart of Piemonte. Today, principals Giovanni Bosca and Mariacristina Castelletta, along with their sons Giulio and Guglielmo, helm the company. Ancestor Rachele Torlasco Bosca, a scholar and herbalist, created Cardamaro Vino Amaro in the 1950s after she became fascinated with the physiological properties of the locally grown cardoon. Over the following years, Bosca’s herbalists perfected the recipe, incorporating 23 additional botanicals on a base of local wine.

Cardamaro is a longstanding product of what is today an 8th-generation winemaker in Canelli d’Asti. The primary flavors of Cardamaro are cardoon and blessed thistle, with gentle undertones of spice. The wine base provides a pleasing texture and allows for pairing with robust cheeses, soft or hard. Mix Cardamaro with cider or ginger ale, or use in place of vermouth for an earthier take on classic cocktails. Cardamaro can also be used in place of whiskey for subtle cocktails, such as with Dolin Rouge in the Lower Manhattan.