Coca-Cola is the most popular & biggest selling soft drink in history, as well as the best-known product in the world. Created in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr. John S. Pemberton, Coca-Cola was first offered as a fountain beverage by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated water. Coca-Cola was registered as a treademark in 1887 & by 1895 Coca-Cola was being sold in every state & territory in the United States. ...

Americano Cocchi is a true intermediary between wine & spirits as it is a wine with a small addition of alcohol bittered by an infusion of valuable spices & herbs. It is called Americano (American) not only due to such new features but also because the habit of drinking Vermouths mixed with bitter spirits & gin
- thus creating a drink called cocktail
- was spreading from the United States. The original recipe of the Americano Cocchi played a role in the history of Asti throughout the nineteenth century & is now considered the aperitif par excellence by the citizens of Asti. The genuine Americano aperitif, it has been in production since 1891. It is based on an all-natural recipe containing white wine, sugar, alcohol-infused herbs & spices, especially Artemisia flowers, gentian roots & peels of bitter orange. No artificial colours/additives are admitted. It is made by spicing small batches of wine left to age one year minimum. The classic Americano
- the only choice for purists- is to be served in a tumbler glass with ice cubes & a slice of orange. A splash of soda water is mandatory to release a typical array of aromas & flavours. Also the Royale version is very much sought after: pour it in a goblet, then add some dry sparkling wine made by the Classic method
- better if Alta Langa DOC. For a low alcohol content version, just add fizzy water & crumbled ice. You'll get a refreshing drink. Even much diluted, the Americano keeps its natural bittering features unchanged.



...

Throughout its history, the house of Cocchi has periodically produced alternative varieties of its Americano aperitif wine. The wine base is a blend of two aromatic varietals such as Brachetto & Malvasia famous for imparting notes of wild rose & summer berries. These are blended with herbs, fruit & spices, most notably gentian, cinchona & citrus like for the Bianco classic version, but with an extra addition of Ginger & rose petals. Enjoy with soda or tonic & a zest of grapefruit. A Royale sumptuous edition can be made topping it with Sparkling Brachetto d' Acqui DOCG. ...

Barolo Chinato can be used as a digestif & is a wonderful way to round off a meal, as well as being unbeatable with dark chocolate. Cocchi's Barolo Chinato still follows the traditional recipe: Barolo DOCG wine (100% Nebbiolo) is infused with the bark of the Calissaja tree, rhubarb roots & cardamom seeds as well as a secret blend of herbs & spices before being laid down for lengthy maturation. Andrea Slitti, the winner of Grand Prix de Chocolaterie held in Paris in 1994 & golden medal at Berlin Chocolate Olympics in September 1996, created a special home-made praline to be eaten alongside Barolo Chinato. ...

Nose: Mineral-led, with stony dryness balanced by freshly crushed fruit apples, pears & apricots. Hints of fruit stone sourness & bitterness hide at the back. Palate: Rich & thick on the tongue, with both fresh & stewed fruit. Sweet raisin & dried mixed peel notes provide a backbone, with both dry & stony notes & rich earthy notes hanging from the sides. Finish: Fruity, spicy & rich. Distilled from the scented pomace of the very best Barbera grapes harvested from vineyards in the Monferrato hills, Cocchi Grappa Bianca is an unaged & traditional white Grappa with an intense scent of ripe grapes that all fine Grappas should have. Ideal after a meal, this Grappa can be enjoyed straight up, over ice, or on the side when drinking an espresso. ...

Cockburn's Fine Ruby is a blend of young wines from various years, aged for three years in wood casks & bottled after filtration. With rich, full-bodied flavours of raspberry, plum & spice, it retains the red colour & fruit flavour of youth, & is ready to drink when bottled, offering a rich, fruity, sweet taste. Fine Ruby pairs well with blue veined cheeses, rich chocolate desserts
- especially with raspberry sauce
- or simply squares of dark chocolate & toasted walnuts.

...

Fine Tawny is aged for Approx. three years in small barrels. This hastens the ageing process so that the wine evolves to a reddish amber colour & develops a silky feel & nutty flavour. Tawny Port is filtered before bottling & and is a smoother, mellower drink than its Ruby counterpart. Cockburn's Fine Tawny is produced from grapes grown in the Lower Douro, lighter skinned & perfectly suited for tawny wine. During its time in wood, Cockburn's Fine Tawny loses some of its colour & rich texture & acquires instead a classic nutty/butterscotch flavour. It has a smooth full flavour with a toffee nose. As a dessert wine, Fine Tawny pairs brilliantly with cream-based desserts such as cheesecake or creme brulee. It may also be enjoyed chilled, & served with almonds or pecans. ...

Late Bottle Vintage Ports (LBV's) are made from grapes of a single year. They are aged in oak casks for up to 6 years before being bottled, at which point they are ready to drink & being lightly filtered require no decanting. Cockburn's LBV is an intense assertive wine with bags of character. It is youthful & impulsive in style, deep red in colour & with aromas of damson, mulberry, summer fruits & chocolate. It leaves an intense sensation on the palate, & has a full feel, with some complexity from its wood ageing. The fortified element is well married to the wine presenting a harmonious balanced feel. The finish is long & attractive. Cockburn's LBV works well with blue cheese, strong Portuguese cheese (try St Jorge or Serpa) or savoury dishes with a cheese component. It also complements nuts, dark chocolate dishes, good pate or jamon. Serve at cool room temperature or if preferred very slightly chilled. ...

Appearance: Opaque & violet. Nose: Aromas of eucalyptus give it a freshness & elegance of style. Palate: Rich flavours of sweet blackberry & firm tannins fill the mouth. Finish: A wine of good ageing potential which also has mouth filling soft rich fruit making it attractive for those who enjoy drinking vintage port young. Canais 2007 was selected from two grape varieties, 72% Touriga Nacional & 28% Tinta Roriz. The Touriga Nacional was picked on the 26th September in perfect conditions & came from one of the most mature vineyards of this magnificent Douro Superior estate. To balance this blend & to incorporate some spiciness & freshness, the Tinta Roriz was chosen from a very special vineyard close to the top of the property (350 metres). The Roriz was only picked on the final two days of the vintage, on the 9th & 10th October. Hence, it produced a wine of abnormal fullness for this variety with wonderful fragrant aromas. ...

This superior wine comes from Quintas which produce the great Cockburn vintages in the upper Doura Valley of of the Demarcated Douro Region. It has been aged in lodges & bottled in Vila Nova de Gaia, accross the river from Oporto, & softened into the smooth, mellow, distinctive character demanded by the discerning palate. Cockburn's Special Reserve is the world's most popular premium port. Special Reserve is a medium dark ruby colour, with a deep garnet edge. The blend has a clean aroma, showing maturity & finesse, with a hint of dried plums. Off dry to medium sweet, Special Reserve has a rich, mellow texture & smooth tannin structure, with a long, satisfying finish. The classic way to serve Special Reserve is with aged Stilton cheese after dinner. Or enjoy with roasted almonds or walnuts & squares of rich, dark chocolate for a simple but elegant dessert. Special Reserve is a vintage character port, intended to reflect a shipper's Vintage Port style. Vintage Character ports are matured before release & ready to enjoy when bottled, without the need for decanting. These offer the taste of a vintage port with about 5 years of bottle age. Vintage character ports are a blend of fine ruby ports from various years & vineyards, aged in large vats to retain their ruby red colour & bottled ready to drink after filtration. ...