Vermouth

Vermouth is a fortified wine flavored with aromatic herbs and spices ("aromatized" in the trade) in recipes that are closely-guarded trade secrets. Its inventor, Antonio Benedetto Carpano from Turin, chose this name in 1786 because he was inspired by a German wine fortified with wormwood, an herb most famously used in distilling absinthe. The modern German word Wermut means both wormwood and vermouth. The herbs were originally used to mask raw flavors of cheap wine, imparting a slightly medicinal "tonic" flavor.

Related Topics:
Fortified wine - Antonio Benedetto Carpano - Turin - German - Wormwood - Absinthe

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There are four styles of vermouth, in order from driest to sweetest: dry, sweet/red, and bianco/white. The sweet red vermouth are drunk as an aperitif, often straight up, as well as in mixed drinks. Dry white vermouth, along with gin or vodka, is a key ingredient in the mixing of martinis, in proportions that may account for the lackluster sales of dry white vermouths. A sweet white vermouth is also made.

Related Topics:
Aperitif - Gin - Vodka - Martini

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The best-selling specialist makers of vermouth exported internationally include

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• Martini & Rossi (Italy)
• Cinzano (Italy)
• Campari (Italy)
• Noilly Prat (France)
• Distillerie Stock (Italy)
 
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