New aperitif Quadro Nuevo - the musical sound of the sea in a glass
Steinfurt/Hamburg/Barcelona - A European tango band, a distiller couple from Münsterland, a Hamburg barkeeper and an illustrator from Barcelona - this is a mixture that promises to be exciting. The story of an alcoholic aperitif made in Steinfurt: by Axel Roll, published in the Westfälische Nachrichten.
Four leaves of a shamrock make great fortune. No one would have guessed that they would come together so perfectly, given that they come from completely different worlds, or rather, to stay with the image, from different meadows: They are the musicians, the artist, the bartender and a married couple who know how to create exclusive spiritual drinks. What unites them - and that's why the happy result is perhaps no longer so surprising - is composing.
Their common goal: the viewer, or rather the connoisseur of their Gesamtkunstwerk, should only see the “trivial worries of everyday life as a blurred memory of a yesterday that has long since disappeared”. So says pianist Chris Gall, who as a member of the tango formation “Quadro Nuevo” is part of the cloverleaf. And godfather. The quartet, known on many stages around the world, is the namesake for an alcoholic aperitif made in Steinfurt, which is supposed to taste like the self-composed music of “Quadro Nuevo”. Another quote from Chris Gall: “The sound of the sea turned into music, a sea breeze that smells of all the beguiling tones of a longed-for paradise and ripe lemons.”
Mediterranean lightness, genuineness, carefreeness
Stop, stop, stop. The lemons don't go so well now. Rhubarb would be better. “Quadro Nuevo” was mainly composed from vermouth and rhubarb - plus various and rather unknown herbs - by Monika and Ludger Teriete from the Dwersteg distillery.
A renowned band pledging its name for an alcoholic drink is nothing new.
Many musicians are now trying to tap into additional sources of income with their own beer or whisky. But with the first two cloverleafs, to stay with the image chosen at the beginning, the situation is completely different. As Mulo Francel, who plays saxophone and clarinet in the band, recalls, it happened on oneof their concert evenings at the Con Corazon tango club in Münster. “We struck up a conversation with the Terietes at the bar.” The usual small talk - “What do you do?”, “What do you do?” - quickly developed into a friendship, which also involved regularly swapping CDs for premium liqueurs. Mulo Francel smiles: “We're always happy when there's good stuff like that.” Especially on tour.
When Mo Teriete put her latest creation on the tasting table and husband Ludger was desperately looking for a name, he was almost struck by his own brainwave. He had just inhaled the new masterpiece by “Quadro Nuevo”, which bears the name “Mare”. This Mediterranean lightness, genuineness, carefreeness - that's exactly what the new aperitif should express. One phone call to Mulo and it was a done deal. In principle.
Now sheet number three is added.
It bears the name Jörg Meyer. The Hamburg native is one of the best-known bartenders not only on the waterfront, but also in the world's major cities. The 45-year-old thoroughbred restaurateur now mixes from Dubai to Zurich and is also involved in the import of luxury spirits.
Heavy shots are out
In the summer, when he was still welcoming guests to his bar in the 25 Hour Hotel in Hamburg, Jörg Meyer did the quick test with the freshly created Quadro Nuevo rhubarb vermouth mix. “And people were thrilled.” The low-alcohol drink had not yet been filled in the fancy bottles. “Our colleagues always had to lug these ten-liter canisters around the yard,” laughs Meyer. So many that Ludger Teriete had to keep sending supplies. “What's that?” The bartender patiently answered this question again and again as he poured the aperitif, which had a delicate orange-rose hue, into the glasses. The native of Dinslaken goes into raptures: “Monika does great things.” In this case, Meyer particularly likes rounding off the taste with a few select herbs.
Jörg Meyer himself has incorporated much of his experience as a bartender into the development of the light liqueur. Meyer simply knows what his customers want. But he was also keen to bring this musical direction to life through the taste buds in the fine liqueur. The experienced bartender is particularly pleased:
“Quadro Nuevo fits in perfectly with the times.” The heavy alcohol shots with a wooden hammer are out. Jörg Meyer: “Guests want to enjoy themselves.” Relaxed and light. That's why he recommends such Mediterranean drinks in combination with soda or Cremant. Incidentally, the bartender doesn't yet know how “Quadro Nuevo” will perform behind the bar in its newly developed outfit. “When the bottles were filled, the corona lockdown came.”
Keyword chic appearance: cloverleaf number four is the artist Pietari Posti, who runs his studio in Barcelona. For the CD cover of “Quadro Nuevo”, he had put the Mediterranean beach described here on paper. Ludger Teriete persuaded him to decorate a meaningful drink with the motif in a phone call. The cloverleaf is now complete. Salute, santé, salud and cheers.
