Vin Tonique Mariani à la Coca de Peroum, known simply as Vin Mariani, was a ‘tonic wine’ that debuted in 1863 and shortly thereafter became a worldwide sensation. Invented by French chemist Angelo Mariani, who hailed from Corsica, the tonic came about due to his fascination with Paolo Mantegazza’s recent studies of the coca plant and its perceived benefits. The study inspired Mariani to combine ground up coca leaves with red Bordeaux wine, at the rate of 6 milligrams of coca per ounce of wine, and thus Vin Mariani was born. A proper ‘dose’ was two to three glassfuls per day, taken before or after meals (halved for children!). The product was marketed as a digestif, an aperitif, and a general cure-all. The delicious concoction promised to heal whatever ailed you and provide the energy boost needed by actresses, inventors and workingmen alike.