What is Vermouth?

Vermouth is a fortified wine drunk as an aperitif in Europe and avoided in martinis in the United States. Originated in the 1700′s in the kingdom of Savoy (Southern France and Northwest Italy), winemakers added herbs and spices to improve the flavor of the area’s wines. The first branded vermouth was a spicy red made by Carpano in Turin, Italy in 1786; 14 years later, in the Mediterranean town of Marsellian, Joseph Noilly introduced the first French dry vermouth.

They remain today the two principle styles: white, dry French style and red, sweet Italian style.

Today, most vermouth is made from white wine flavored with herbs and spices and fortified with neutral spirits. Dozens of herbs and spices may be used creating layers of flavors.

Vermouth is more famous for not being used than for anything else.  In the United States, martinis, especially vodka martinis, are made with straight vodka and a swirl of the vermouth bottle close to the martini glass giving just the right amount of vermouth to the drink…that is, none.  In the 1930′s and earlier, martinis were equal parts gin and dry vermouth. Each decade saw less and less use of vermouth so that by the 1990′s and 2000′s, if vermouth was actually added to the drink at all, it came as an atomized spray like an expensive perfume. It was wafted over the glass and whatever minute essense landed on the glass was the right amount.

In 2008 and 2009, bartenders and drink mixmaster starting increasing the amount of vermouth used in Martinis.  Still, it was just a splash because o f the complex flavors involved. 

Quady Winery in California under the Vya label produces excellent vermouths.

Noilly Prat in France still produces vermouth aged outdoors in oak one year.

Carpano still produces a bittersweet vermouth but most Italian red is produced by the giant Martini and Rossi or by another Turin based company, Cinzano.

Red – served over ice with orange slice

Red – used in Manhattan-bourbon,sweet vermouth; Negroni- gin, sweet vermouth, campari

Duplex-equal dry and sweet vermouth, lemon squeeze

Dry – 1930′s Gin Martini – equal gin and dry vermouth, dash of bitters

Vermouth Cassis – dry vermouth, splash of cassis, club soda