The Mata Family have been producing vermouth from their traditional recipe since 1880. Having relocated from Malaga in the 1970s, the family operation is now based in Bierzo, in León, in northwest Spain. As such, Patrick Mata, who continues the family tradition, now makes his vermouth with a base wine from the local primary red varietal: mencia.

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Vermouth is traditionally made by steeping wine in a concoction of herbs and spices, and then fortifying it with brandy (and sometimes a bit of grape must/juice). The method was largely popularized in the 18th Century in Turin, Italy, by Antonio Benedetto Carpano (you may have seen Carpano Antica vermouth before).

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Vermouth producers tend not to share their exact recipes, but Mata does list a whole host of herbs: wormwood (from which the word "vermouth" is originally derived, from the German), blessed thistle, clary sage; spices: cloves, saffron, cardamom, vanilla; and fruit-tree products: elderflower, orange peel, pomegranate bark.

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After fermentation, the resultant mencia wine macerates for at least 18 months with all these herbs and spices. It is then lightly filtered and fortified with brandy to bring the alcohol up to 15%.

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The very best thing to do with this Mata vermouth on a spring afternoon is to sit outside with a glass of it over ice, and an orange twist (you can add soda too if you want a spritz). Enjoy it with all types of bbq, or snacks like chips and dip, cured meats, or salty Spanish olives.