Bonal Gentiane-Quina is a French aromatized fortified aperitif wine from Savoie, produced since 1865. Often described as both a quinquina and a chinato, it occupies an especially intriguing place among traditional wine-based aperitifs: its botanical profile brings together cinchona bark, the source of quinine, and earthy gentian root.
The foundation is mistelle, made from partially fermented grape juice fortified with spirit. Bonal infuses this base with gentian, cinchona, and a proprietary selection of herbs from the Grande Chartreuse mountains. At 16% ABV, the result balances the dark fruit character of its wine base with pronounced herbal and root-driven bitterness. The use of both quinine and gentian allows it to bridge the quinquina and americano traditions, giving it unusual versatility behind the bar.
Its aromatic profile includes prunes, raisins, hay, cacao, toffee apple, pine sap, and sherry-like notes. On the palate, green grape and citrus meet figs, prunes, sultanas, and liquorice before the gentian and quinine assert themselves. The finish moves from dried, nearly burnt fruit toward herbs and a lingering, earthy bitterness.
Bonal’s origins are tied to the medicinal and botanical traditions of the Chartreuse Mountains, where local plants and roots inspired the original 19th-century formula. That history remains easy to recognize in the bottle’s layered relationship between fruit, herbs, and bitterness.
Serve Bonal Gentiane-Quina neat with a citrus twist to appreciate its full botanical character. It also pairs naturally with cider or sparkling wine and can stand in for sweet vermouth when a cocktail calls for a darker fruit profile and a more firmly bitter edge. It is particularly well suited to drinks built around Scotch or American whiskey.
