Aperitifs on the wine list of gastronomic restaurants

Are you looking for an idea for an original and delectable aperitif? Trust chefs and wine waiters in gastronomic restaurants! Discover the best aperitif proposed on the wine menu of starred gastronomic restaurants and served as an aperitif.

With Bestwine • Online, the best reference list of aperitif:

• Find one of the best aperitif.
• Offer an exceptional bottle of aperitif.
• Enrich your bar or wine cellar with a prestigious aperitif.
• Discover the starred gastronomic restaurants where drink the best aperitifs.
• Benefit from gastronomic professionnal’s advices to select your aperitif brand or bottle.

Aperitif reference	Type of aperitif	Sélection
White wine	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white grapes	Discover best white wine
Red wine	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented red grapes	Discover best red wine
Rosé wine	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented red and white grapes	Discover best rosé wine
Yellow Wine	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white grapes	Discover best yellow wine
Porto	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented red grapes	Discover best port
Champagne	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white grapes	Discover best champagne
Rose champagne	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white and red grapes	Discover rosé champagne
Prosecco	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white grapes	Discover best Prosecco
Cognac	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from white grapes	Discover best cognac brandy
Gin	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from genever	Discover best gin
Rum	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from sugar cane	Discover best rum
Vodka	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from potato	Discover best vodka
Cachaca	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from sugar cane	Discover best cachaca
Tequila	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from agave	Discover best tequila
Whisky	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from cereals	Discover best whisky
Sake	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from rice	Discover best sake
Armagnac	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from white grapes	Discover best armagnac
Calvados	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from white grapes	Discover best calvados
Liqueur	Spirits – aperitif made from fruits, seeds, spices, plants or dairy products	Discover best liqueur
Vermouth	Wine – Fermented aperitif made from fermented white and red grapes	Discover best vermouth
Pastis	Perfumed aperitif made with anise and licorice	Discover best pastis
Schnapps	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from cereals, roots, or fruit	Discover best schnapps
Grappa	Spirits – Distilled aperitif made from grapes	Discover best grappas
Beer	Beer is made of several ingredients and in several stages	Discover best beers
Cider	Cider comes from the fermentation of agricultural apple juice	Discover best ciders
Limoncello	Liqueur produced from lemon peel and zest	Discover best limoncello
Manzana	Liqueur made with apples	Discover best manzana
Sambucas	Liqueur made from plants	Discover best sambucas

The ritual of the aperitif

An aperitif is a snack served before the meal in certain cultures, it is composed of light food and alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. In fact, the word aperitif comes from the Latin “apertivus” derived from “aperire” which means to open. Drinks are often accompanied by appetizers and nibbles such as pistachios, crisps and peanuts or other assortments like morsels of fruit and vegetables, olives, tapas, cold meat and cheese. Pre-dinner drinks are often drunk after a toast, according to the tradition. Generally, drinks made from plants known to be suitable for aperitifs, like anis are chosen. Anis being associated to alcohols like Ricard or Pastis.

 Aperitifs and liqueurs are different according to whether they are served before or after the meal.

The “aperitif dinner” can also be mentioned, which turns the aperitif into a meal by increasing the amount of food. The aperitif then becomes the meal. Antipasti in Italy or tapas in Spain, Mezze in the Lebanon and Greece are all types of “aperitif dinner”.

The most popular aperitifs are:

• The anise flavoured like Pastis, Anisette or Pontarlier
• Aperitifs made from wine, for example ABV or Martini
• Sweet wine such as Red wine, White wine or Champagne
• Porto
• Gentian
• Pineau

The Aperitif in starred gastronomic restaurants

In the most prestigious starred gastronomic restaurants, the aperitif is one of the unconditional moments of the meal. It is like the preface to an open book, where you discover appetizers which are samples of the skill of the restaurant. Chefs in gastronomic restaurants open the customers’ appetite with creations which are not only delicious but also extremely attractive. As for wine waiters in gastronomic restaurants, they offer different alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks.

Pre-dinner drinks in gastronomic restaurants

There is a considerable amount of aperitifs served in starred gastronomic restaurants.

First of all, wine is one of the alcohols the most frequently consumed in gastronomic restaurants. Red wine, Rosé wine, White wine and Champagne are very popular with customers in well-known gastronomic establishments. Rose Champagne is also an original idea for a pre-dinner drink.

The aperitif is an enjoyable moment which should open your appetite. It is therefore the custom to select an alcohol which is served cold. For this reason, strong alcoholic drinks are frequently consumed. Pastis is one of the unconditional aperitifs even if it is rarely proposed on the wine menu of gastronomic restaurants like the other anise flavoured drinks.

Whisky and rum are also Spirits which can be consumed as an aperitif. These alcohols are often present on the wine list of gastronomic restaurants and sommeliers prefer Spirits which have been aged and whose flavour is more pronounced.

Brandy Armagnac, Cognac and Calvados can also be served as an aperitif and found on the wine list of gastronomic restaurants. They can be consumed as an aperitif or a liqueur and are part of the traditional alcohols more and more appreciated by people in search of authentic locally made drinks.

Finally, gastronomic restaurants are known to serve cocktails. They either respect traditional recipes or twist them according to the barman’s inspiration. Some chefs in gastronomic restaurants propose original cocktails they have imagined themselves. Cachaca, Tequila, Vodka, Gin can be used to make cocktails. However, there are a lot of purists who prefer to drink these alcohols pure when they are the best quality brands and references.

Regularly discover on this page suggestions for aperitifs. We will share with you our list of traditional aperitifs, along with the new and original ones, as we consult the wine list of each gastronomic restaurant. Above all, we will direct you to the brands and references of alcohols selected by chefs and sommeliers in gastronomic restaurants. Wines and spirits present on the wine list of the most prestigious names in gastronomy so that you may find and buy the greatest aperitif.

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