Vin Marquis

I made this earlier this winter with my mom's "organic" oranges. I used a cheap red boxed wine, not a white, but otherwise, same recipe as the one I got from the excellent book, Aperitifs. I tried it tonight--without waiting the six months or a year the recipe demands--and found it very tasty. If you've ever had Lillet Red, it tasted JUST like it, but a little fresher and more citrus-y.

Update... Nine months later, this vin marquis has been transformed--very smooth, hints of citrus, but mostly a warm, earthy, chocolate with hints of allspice and clove... It compares favorably to Lillet Rouge (one of my favorite aperitifs). More complex and muscular than a red vermouth. It has the body of a young port, and some of the flavor characteristics, but is much less sweet.

I have no idea why it tastes that way, but it does. (Presumably the breakdown of organic acids into different compounds.) The per-bottle cost was probably three or four bucks.