Bermet is an aromatised dessert wine that has been made in Sremski Karlovci since at least the 18th century. Every family keeps its own recipe, but all of them start with red or white wine, sugar and some twenty herbs and spices. Here is how to serve it at its best.
Temperature
It shows best at 12–14 °C, a little cooler than the room. Ice-cold Bermet loses its aroma; served warm, it feels heavy and too sweet. If the bottle has been sitting in the kitchen, twenty minutes in the fridge will do.
Glass
A small glass with a narrow rim, the kind you would use for port or sherry. Pour a little — 6 to 8 centilitres — because Bermet is for sipping.
What to pair it with
- Dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa
- Dried figs, walnuts and roasted almonds
- Blue cheese and aged sheep's cheese
- Coffee after lunch, instead of dessert
How long an open bottle lasts
Thanks to the sugar and higher alcohol, an open bottle keeps well: tightly closed and somewhere cool, a month is no problem. Which makes Bermet a good gift and a good bottle for the home bar.
