Amoro de Vino Picon Vasco, Rioja

Picon Vasco is an Amaro-like fortified wine made in Rioja Alavesa.  The grapes come from old vines Viura growing in the Basque country.  The base wine is macerated with a mélange of local herbs including gentian root, chinchona bark, quinine, bitter orange peels, lemon verbena, molasses and botanicals.  Bittersweet, earthy, root beer twang, piney, peppery, with a touch of vanilla.