“A dry martini,” he said. “One. In a deep champagne goblet.”

“Oui, monsieur.”

“Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”

“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.

“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.

Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he explained, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.”

Sound familiar? Well fortunately, this Ian Fleming novel, Casino Royale was finally made into a full-fledge Bond movie, and in it this drink, with its sexy allure is once again introduced to the public, known as the Vesper. Named after Bond Girl, Vesper Lynd.

While Mr. Bond doesn't indicate if this should be made with white or red Lillet, you can rest asured that it was made with white, since red didn't exist at that time. However the white Lillet that was available, was the version with a higher quinine level then is available today, so you unfortunately can no longer get this drink made exactly the way James would have had it.

Lillet Blanc is an aperitif from the Bordeaux region of France that was created in 1887 as a tonic for whatever ailed you. It comes in white or red versions, the red version being created in the 1960's is in the same family as vermouth, but it has subtle differences. The formula for Lillet contains wine, orange peel and quinine, which provides the slightly bitter aperitif quality, this has made this drink so popular. In 1985 the Lillet Blanc formula was redeveloped to meet modern grape growing methods and to also make the aperitif more palatable to the modern consumer. Basically they made it less bitter and reduced the sweetness. This created a more vermouth like drink.

And now, with the holidays upon us, an aperitif is a great way to welcome people into your home, light your fireplaces and begin to celebrate. Generally lighter in alcohol than a cocktail, aperitifs stimulate the appetite before a meal. The advantage of some classic aperitifs is that they require very little mixing on your part. The most commonly found are red and white Lillet and red and white vermouth. Both are wine-based but Lillet is a brand and vermouth a style made by producers such as Noilly-Prat, Cinzano and Martini.

Where white Lillet is slightly sweet with notes of orange peel and honey, red Lillet has a more bitter taste of cinnamon and clove. Both can be served over ice in a wine glass with a slice of orange or lime. For more subtle flavor, you can add a splash of soda.

Red vermouth has a smoky, sweet taste with notes of molasses and is an essential ingredient in a Manhattan cocktail. With undertones of juniper, white vermouth tastes almost like a light gin and indeed with gin or vodka forms the basis of a classic martini. Both can be served in a rocks glass over ice but a splash of soda and a slice of lemon or orange will lighten up their flavors and bring color and decor to your table.

Sadly, the aperitif is scarcely known in this country, where these days people “eat on the run” or as they drive or dash down the street. Oh to slow down America, so we might actually have the time to eat at a leisurely pace but also to incorporate the pre-meal aperitif into our savvy ways or perhaps our holidays! Cheers!

Amy Bennett is the owner of The Greene Grape wine store in Brooklyn, NewYork. She believes you can drink white after Labor Day.