"From its origins with the French Foreign Legion. Dubonnet Rouge Aperitif Wine has been a staple on the cocktail landscape since its introduction in 1846. Created by Parisian chemist / wine merchant Joseph Dubonnet as a means to make quinine more palatable for the soldiers battling malaria in North Africa. Dubonnet's mix of fortified wine, a proprietary blend of herbs, spices and peels, and the medicinal quinine is a recipe that has earned it legendary status in the world of sophisticated drinks. By the turn of the 20th century, Dubonnet was producing more than three million bottles a year and was exported throughout the world. His son Andre Dubonnet would help spend the family fortune by campaigning a Hispano-Suiza in 1921. A wealthy sportsman with a commercially alcoholic background, Andre Dubonnet, won a sports-car race at Boulogne: the Coupe Boillot. He repeated the success 2 years later with a new 8-liter engine. Also in 1924, Dubonnet ran a Hispano-Suiza 46CV in the famous Targa Florio road race in Sicily. It was fitted with an exotic body of riveted tulip-wood planking he nevertheless finished in sixth position." Source: http://www.automania.be/fr/auto/hispano-suiza-esp-fr/hispano-suiza-historiques/hispano-suiza-story