Vermouth could be criticized for having a poor reputation. But, the truth is that it has a very good reputation. Many think vermouth is just another ingredient in your Martini. But vermouth can be more than that.
“Without vermouth we wouldn’t be able to have Manhattans, Martinis or Negronis,” says Lydia McLuen (bar manager at Takibi, Portland, Oregon). It doesn’t last very long when I have a bottle of it at home. McLuen enjoys making 50/50 Gin Martinis with a lemon twist if she has dry vermouth. With blanc vermouth, McLuen prefers to have it over ice with grapefruit or orange wedges. She adds that sweet vermouth is something she enjoys on the rocks, with oranges, in Negronis or Manhattans, and even in Americanos. There are so many options!
Does that sound appealing? This is what you need to know about the Aperitif.
Wait! What is Vermouth?
McLuen explains that vermouth is an aromatized and fortified wine that has been flavored with different botanicals. Aromatized simply means that the wine has been flavoured with fruits, spices, or florals. Cinchona bark and wormwood are all common botanicals. However, ingredients can vary depending on where they’re grown. Dolin’s white vermouth uses high-altitude alpine blooms. Matthiasson’s Napa Valley version is made with California grapes and sour cherries.
Fortified wine means that stronger alcohol, such as brandy or a neutral spirit, is added to the wine in order to stop the fermentation process and preserve it.
Vermouth is an old drink with centuries-old recipes. Anthony Panzica is the beverage director at Atlanta’s Porchetta Group. He notes that vermouth can be traced back to the 16th-century with the Romans who made wormwood-infused wines. Vermouth is derived from the French spelling of wermwut, the German word for “wormwood”. Many vermouths today still use wormwood for flavor.
Vermouth is part the aperitifs category. KP Sykes, the owner and operator of The Armory, Brooklyn, says that vermouth can only be understood if you understand the spirit category and liqueurs. The Latin verb Aperire means To Open. This is the etymology behind apertif. This refers to opening one’s appetite prior to eating. Vermouth, in other words, is an aromatic and fortified aperitif.
What is Dry Vermouth?
This category goes beyond the simple addition of white vermouth to your gin martini. Vermouth can be made in Spain, France, Italy and Spain. Each country makes theirs in a unique way. Panzica says that vermouths are different in their sweetness, spice and overall flavor.
France is well-known for its dry or Chambery vermouths. These are usually light in color. Panzica says they can be sweet and dry, as is the case for chambery, or nutty and lightly oxidized in Marseilles. They are slightly more herbaceous than spicy.
Italy’s white vermouths are sweet and dry and lack the oxidative qualities of French dry vermouths. Panzica finds them to be bolder in flavor, herbaceous and slightly vanilla. Scarpa Bianco Di Torino is a favorite — enjoy it on the rocks with some twist. White vermouths are also sweet, so be aware!
What is Sweet Vermouth?
McLuen describes white vermouth as “rich and tart, floral and pleasantly sweet.” Sweet vermouth, on the other hand, is rich and spiced. It’s often used in cocktails like the Negroni and the Manhattan. It is deep reddish in color, slightly spicy and balanced by subtle sweetness.
It’s common to find Vermouth di Torino in Italy. This is a red vermouth. Panzica says that Vermouth di Torino is rich in flavor and color, with warm spices like clove, orange peel, allspice and caramel. If a recipe calls for sweet vermouth or Italian vermouth in a cocktail, it is most likely that this style is being used.”
What can vermouth be used for?
You’re an expert in vermouth styles. What do you do when you have a bottle of it?
“So many different!” Neal Bodenheimer is the managing partner of New Orleans’ beloved bar Cure. and the author of Cure New Orleans Drinks and How To Mix ‘Em. My favorite is “Over ice with an extra twist or with a dash of club soda.”
Panzica sticks to soda because it makes the drink more sluggish. He drinks vermouth as an after-dinner drink or in social situations. He notes that the botanicals stimulate the appetite and the soda water opens up the stomach.
Does Vermouth Go Bad?
Before you start digging in, make sure to get rid of that old bottle of vermouth from your bar cart. “That old bottle is spoiled!” says Bodenheimer. Bodenheimer: “Treat [open] Vermouth like wine and store it in the refrigerator, because it is, in essence.”
Sykes points out that the beverage’s delicate ingredients — botanicals and wine — can be affected by environmental pollution like heat and sunlight. Storing your vermouth in the fridge will greatly extend its life span and improve the quality. He says.