Unfortunately, vermouth remains an unsung hero for most. If cocktails were a musical ensemble, vermouth wouldn't be the seductive singer or the enigmatic, lingering guitarist. No, it would be the strange guy sitting at the keyboard, diligently working in the shadows, where his fan mail is a meager collection compared to the others. Yet, like the unnoticed keyboardist, vermouth's presence is indispensable, and it possesses its own merits worthy of admiration.
What is Vermouth?
Many people mistake vermouth for a spirit, but the truth is, it's an aromatized and fortified wine infused with the flavors of citrus peel, star anise, basil, thyme, and wormwood.
Vermouth's lineage is an intricate affair, far more complex than meets the eye. Let's travel back 8,000 years to China's Neolithic era, an unlikely birthplace for vermouth's early prototype – a fusion of wine and potentially beneficial botanical ingredients.
In its current form, we owe vermouth's existence to a certain Antonio Benedetto Carpano, who originated from Turin, Italy, around 1786. Carpano, a pioneer among men, set out to commercialize fortified, aromatized wine, naming it "wermut," the Germanic term for "wormwood." He sweetened the elixir with a hint of spirits, believing it to be a more suitable drink for ladies than the local red wines. Vermouth's allure was irresistible, and Carpano's shop was soon open around the clock.
For a deeper dive into vermouth's eventful history, you can read a longer account here.
How is vermouth made?
Vermouth = wine + alcohol + sugar + herbs / spices. Simple, right?
Not entirely. Combining herbs, alcohol, and wine in a way that avoids resulting in something repulsive is surprisingly tricky.
The dilemma begins with the foundation: the wine. Many producers resort to a wine specifically made for this purpose, a polite way of hinting at its inadequacy as a standalone drink. However, the finest vermouths often originate from wines that can be enjoyed on their own.
Nevertheless, the use of such wines brings additional challenges: each vintage varies with fluctuating levels of tannin, color, and acidity, all of which interact uniquely with the herbs.
Those herbs are also quite recalcitrant. A recipe can boast a diversity of over 20 herbs, each requiring unique techniques and choices to extract their full potential. For example, chamomile has a completely different flavor when steeped in alcohol compared to water.
And then comes the complex task of reaching our glass. Vermouth often rests for many months, allowing the flavors to harmonize perfectly. Tasting vermouth directly from the barrel can be an excruciating ordeal, even with added sugar, which strives to balance bitterness and ensure stability.
Antonio Benedetto Carpano in a 19th-century illustration.
Artemisia absinthium or wormwood, one of the main ingredients in vermouth. Image by: Agnieszka Kwiecień
Making vermouth is an art form. If you're looking for a quick version anyway:
- Find spices and herbs.
- Macerate them individually in solutions of alcohol and water, using solutions, temperatures, and times best suited to extract the most from the ingredient.
- Filter and press the solution to extract the flavor.
- Add the individual extracts to the wine, along with sugar and the extra alcohol.
- Give your mixture time to relax in a barrel-shaped hot tub.
- Bottle it.
- Amaze the world with your genius.
The different types of vermouth
Historically, there are two main types of vermouth: sweet red or dry white. Today, the selection is more sophisticated, and the range of styles includes extra-dry white, sweet white (bianco, blanc), red (rosso, rouge, roux), amber (ambrato, ambre), and rosé. Sweet vermouths generally contain 90-130 g/l of sugar, while dry vermouths do not exceed 50 g/l and have a lighter texture than the sweet styles. And no, they are not interchangeable.
Many mistakenly believe that white wine is used for white and dry vermouth, and red wine is used for red vermouth, but in reality, the wine is white for all types. Infused botanicals can give the reddish-brown color, but more often, caramel is added to provide the color.
The three vermouth variants from French Dolin. Dolin Vermouth Rouge, Dolin Vermouth Dry and Dolin Vermouth Blanc.
How is vermouth drunk?
Vermouth, this ever-transforming chameleon, possesses the ability to captivate, whether in a bone-dry Martini, a Rob Roy, or a Manhattan. Countless drinks rely on its presence, opening a splendid path to explore classic mixology.
For a distinguished experience in the comfort of your home, we recommend a bottle of red vermouth and a bottle of Campari. These two harmonize to form the basis for a multitude of delicious Italian aperitifs. United, they create the Torino-Milano Cocktail (which, however, sounds more like a busy train line). Yet, in our humble opinion, it's when you add one more ingredient that the true enchantment occurs:
Add gin = Negroni
Add prosecco = Negroni Sbagliato (which means 'mistake' and, according to legend, was born when a bartender inadvertently added prosecco instead of gin)
Add soda = Americano
Nevertheless, vermouth is essentially an aperitif. So, don't hesitate to enjoy a sip of neat vermouth from time to time, especially before dinner. In Italy, it's often enjoyed with just a twist of lemon peel and ice in a wine glass or coupette.
If you want to start a regular vermouth ritual at home, you can make it as simple as embracing the weekly Catalan tradition of la hora del vermut ("the vermouth hour"). Every Sunday, in the early afternoon, between mass and dinner, friends and family across Spain gather to enjoy a glass of vermouth (typically red, sweet, and locally produced), accompanied by a splash of sparkling water and a few olives.
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