🍷🍑 La Peche Mode

This week, we will venture into a new category of sippables. Aperitifs are as varied as they are unique, and they’re a lot of fun to explore, so let’s go!

Haley Shubert
May 08, 2025

Hello Towson and Welcome to The Weekly Sip

Happy Thursday everybody!

Even though all of my previous posts have been about more traditional style wines, this segment is called The Weekly Sip for a reason. I was told I could use this space to talk about any beverage I wanted, so this week I’ve decided to introduce you all to something different. From the Latin aperire, meaning “to open”, an aperitif is a small, sippable drink meant to engage the palate and jumpstart one’s appetite without overwhelming the senses. Aperitifs typically come in the form of a light beverage with a moderate alcohol content.

Think about things with a somewhat tart or herbal quality. When you taste those notes, they cause you to inhale and your mouth starts to water, activating your nose and palate for the food that is to come. Sometimes, it looks like a glass of light white or sparkling wine, such as Champagne. However, more traditional aperitifs tend to have a bit more flavor and flair. Liqueurs such as Aperol and Campari are some of the more recognizable examples.

This week, we’re calling on Provence, France for our shining example.

The RinQuinQuin a la Peche Aperitif Wine is the perfect summer sipper. Fresh and fruity with a sweet finish, the name actually means “a refreshing drink”. This aperitif is made using a traditional recipe including peaches, late-season peach leaves, sugar, and white wine.

The Provence peaches are picked when they are fully ripe, and the leaves are harvested around October, after they have started to turn golden but before they begin to fall. The fruit and the leaves are then macerated separately in the sugar and wine concoction for several months.

This allows for the full extraction of flavors and aromatics from both components. Once the maceration is finished, the results of both components are mixed together and poured into stainless steel vats for about 6 weeks. This allows the two to harmonize together without any influence from wood or air. After a few weeks, the vats are opened and the mixture is filtered, inspected, tasted, and bottled. The final result is a rich and bright peach elixir that is true to its namesake. The word requinquilhar means “to cheer up” in the local dialect, and this aperitif is sunshine in a glass.

For those of you who are interested in trying RinQuinQuin or exploring the aperitifs category, I am hosting a tasting at Spirit Shop Falls Road tonight from 5-7pm that includes this product as well as a few others. As always, feel free to reach out to me at haley@spiritshopfallsroad.com if you have any questions, comments, or need help finding your next favorite sip.

Cheers!

Haley