Caperitif

Watch as Adi Badenhorst shares the story behind Caperitif Lot 9, the inspiration, the winemaking and the traditions that have shaped it. Hear, in Adi’s own words, how this distinctive small-batch wine came to be, the history behind it and, perhaps most importantly, how best to drink it.

Caperitif is a handcrafted South African vermouth and Cape aperitif, inspired by the original recipe that became famous throughout the early twentieth century before disappearing altogether.

Made from Chenin Blanc and a carefully selected blend of around 35 natural botanicals, Caperitif balances citrus, floral aromatics, gentle sweetness and delicate bitterness into one beautifully layered aperitif.

Unlike traditional European vermouths, Caperitif is unmistakably South African.

Every bottle is handcrafted on Kalmoesfontein Farm in the Swartland using ingredients that tell the story of the Cape.

Every bottle begins with carefully selected Chenin Blanc.

The wine is gently fortified with grape spirit before being lightly sweetened using natural grape sugars. It is then infused with around 35 botanicals, bittered with cinchona bark and left to mature until the flavours become beautifully integrated.

Seasonally harvested botanicals create subtle differences between batches, making every release a unique expression of time and place.

Carefully selected herbs, flowers, roots and citrus create the layered complexity that defines every bottle of Caperitif

• Grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) - Brings bright citrus freshness with a pleasantly bitter finish.
• Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) - One of South Africa's most iconic plants, adding warmth, depth and unmistakable local character.
• Wilde Als (Artemisia afra) - An indigenous medicinal herb treasured for generations, contributing herbal complexity.
• Konfettibos (Coleonema pulchellum) - A fragrant Cape shrub with delicate floral aromatics.
• Kalmoes (Acorus calamus) - The botanical that gave Kalmoesfontein Farm its name and remains one of Caperitif's signature ingredients.

Alongside these are dozens more botanicals that work together to create Caperitif's unmistakable flavour profile.

Danish mixologist Lars Erik Lyndgaard Schmidt became fascinated by the mysterious ingredient and began tracing its origins.

His search eventually led him to South African winemaker Adi Badenhorst.

Together they painstakingly researched, recreated and revived South Africa's forgotten vermouth, bringing the legendary ghost ingredient back to life on Kalmoesfontein Farm.