Vermouth For Beginners: What to look for & how to drink it
Florence DiffeyShare
Vermouth is an aromatised wine with the inclusion of botanicals, sugar or grape juice, and spirit to fortify the wine.
Aromatisation is essentially a maceration process in which a selection of botanicals are added to the base wine and spirit to create the distinct flavour profile Vermouth is known for.
We have Turin (Torino) in Piedmont (North-West Italy) to thank for Vermouth as they are responsible for making it the signature Digestif/Aperitif it is today. In fact, Turin has its own DOC called Vermouth di Torino DOC which also requires that 50% of the base wine uses grapes grown in Piedmont.
The specifications of Vermouth is typically made from 75% wine and sits around the 14.5-22% ABV mark. They can have varying degrees of sweetness and ranges with a flavour profile of fruity, herbaceous, savoury, and vegetal notes. Vermouth must include the Wormwood botanical which is a leafy plant that is the main ingredient in absinthe, this makes the Vermouth have it's distinct bitter aftertaste. Historically, the majority of the production of Wormwood was made in Turin throughout the 1500s.
Some well-known styles include:
- Dry (Sec)
- White (Bianco)
- Sweet (Rosso)
Styles according to country:
- Italy - sweet rosso style
- France - Dry white style
- Spain - referred to as 'Vermut' starting in Catalan town of Reus which spread to Jerez (usually made with a Sherry base using the Palomino grape)
It is worth noting even the 'dry' styles can have some sweetness. Dry refers to having the least amount of sugar compared to the other styles of Vermouth.
Vermouth is commonly used in some of the most famous and loved cocktails of the world including: the Martini, Negroni, and Manhattan. If i'm not drinking a Negroni made using Maidenii Sweet Vermouth, I personally love sipping on Spanish and Rosso styles over ice and a garnish of citrus.
Here are some delicious Vermouths we love having in the shop:
- Maidenii Classic Vermouth 375ml
- Maidenii Sweet Vermouth 375ml
- Saison Marigold Amaro NV Vermouth
- Partida Creus MUZ Vermouth 2021 1L
- Unico Zelo Yuzu Sweet Vermouth 750ml