Vermouth is a fortified wine, which is a wine that's been "fortified" with a distilled spirit (usually brandy, in the case of vermouth) to raise the alcohol content. Vermouth in particular is also infused with herbs and spices to add a wide variety of flavors. The name comes from vermut, German for wormwood, an herb that's traditionally (but not always) part of the recipe. Sweet vermouth is darker in color and, generally, sweeter than dry vermouth, but each brand uses a different base wine and set of botanicals to create its own signature flavor. Sometimes called Italian vermouth or red vermouth, sweet vermouth doesn't have to come from Italy, and it's actually made from white wine in most cases—the color comes from the botanicals as well as barrel-aging. World's Best Dry Vermouth". The World Drinks Awards. Paragraph Publishing Ltd. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023 . Retrieved 20 June 2023. Viera, Lauren (18 May 2011). "The straight truth about vermouth" (Newspaper article). Chicago Tribune. Tony W. Hunter . Retrieved 19 May 2011.

Walton, Stuart; Glover, Brian (1998). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Wine, Beer, Spirits & Liqueurs. London: Lorenz Books. ISBN 978-0-7548-0334-8. The term "Italian vermouth" is often used to refer to red-colored, mildly bitter, and slightly sweet vermouths. These types of vermouths have also been called "rosso". [5] The label "French vermouth" generally refers to pale, dry vermouths that are more bitter than sweet vermouths. The extra bitterness is often obtained by using nutmeg or bitter orange peel in the drink recipe. [5] Blanc or Bianco is a name given to a type of pale, sweeter vermouth. [5] Four bottles of Vermouth: Fot-Li and Yzaguirre, red Vermouths from Spain; Punt e Mes, red Vermouth from Italy; and Dolin, dry Vermouth from France The Cinzano family began production in 1757 in Turin. Their Bianco product is sweet, pale vermouth. [5] [51]San Francisco World Spirits Competition Results" (PDF). San Francisco World Spirits Competition . Retrieved 21 June 2023. Amerine, Maynard Andrew (1974). Vermouth: An Annotated Bibliography. University of California (System), Division of Agricultural Sciences. ISBN 978-0-931876-20-2. {{ cite book}}: |work= ignored ( help) Weird Wine, for Wonderful People". Esquimalt. Esquimalt Wine. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023 . Retrieved 20 June 2023.

Brown, Jared; Miller, Anistatia (2011). The Mixellany Guide to Vermouth & Other Aperitifs. Mixellany Limited. ISBN 978-1-907434-29-7.

Different Vermouth Types & How They Taste

Orchant, Rebecca (7 October 2013). "Don't Just Drink Vermouth, Eat It". HuffPost . Retrieved 14 November 2013. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ McGovern, P.E.; Christofidou-Solomidou, M.; Wang, W.; Dukes, F.; Davidson, T.; El-Deiry, W.S. (2010). "Anticancer Activity of Botanical Compounds in Ancient Fermented Beverages". International Journal of Oncology. 37 (1): 5–21. doi: 10.3892/ijo_00000647. PMID 20514391.

Coley, Jim. "The Art of the Aperitif". 435 South Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013 . Retrieved 1 September 2012. Wondrich, David (30 March 2018). "The Coming of the Martini: An Annotated Timeline" . Retrieved 16 May 2019. Sweet vermouths usually contain 10–15% sugar. The sugar content in dry vermouths generally does not exceed 4%. Dry vermouths usually are lighter in body than sweet vermouths. [17] Italian and French companies produce most of the vermouth consumed throughout the world. [3] Nevertheless, in 2022 an Australian company won a gold medal for its extra-dry vermouth at the World Vermouth Awards in London. [ citation needed] Further, a Canadian company was a double winner in 2023, the first producer outside Europe to be judged “best” for both the dry and semi-sweet categories. [9] [10] Etymology and history [ edit ] A collection of vermouth and quinquina bottles, including Noilly Prat Extra Dry, Lillet Blanc, Dolin Rouge, and Martini & Rossi Rosso The Piemonte region in northwestern Italy, centered around the city of Turin, is the historic center of sweet vermouth production. Nestled between France and Switzerland at the foot of the Alps, it has excellent climate for wine grapes as well as easy access to the wild mountain herbs that give vermouth its unique flavor. Local producer Cocchi is dedicated to making wines and aperitifs in the old-fashioned way, and its Vermouth di Torino revived an authentic 19th-century vermouth style that had all but disappeared.

The country of origin can give you some clues, but you really have to taste a sweet vermouth to know whether it's for you. Remember that "sweet" is a relative term: The wine has some sweetness, but it also has sour acidity, herbal bitterness, and tannic body. One sweet vermouth might have vanilla and caramel on the palate, while another could feature fruitier strawberry and plum. In the years since 2013, there has been renewed interest in vermouth in the US. Artisanal makers have created new brands of vermouth which do not seek to imitate European styles, and vermouth has been a fast-growing category within the wine trade. [26] Production, ingredients, and flavours [ edit ] Noilly Prat, based in southern France, is primarily known for its dry, pale vermouths, but also produces a sweeter version. The company was founded by Joseph Noilly in 1813. [5] Several wine grapes, including Clairette blanche, Piquepoul, Bianchetta Trevigiana, [27] Catarratto and Trebbiano, are generally used as the base ingredients for vermouths. From these grapes, a low-alcohol white wine is produced by vermouth manufacturers. The wine may be aged for a short while before the addition of other ingredients. For sweet vermouths, sugar syrup is added before the wine is fortified with extra alcohol. The added alcohol is usually a neutral grape spirit, but may also come from vegetable sources such as sugar beets. The wine is then placed in large barrels or tanks to which the dry ingredients have already been added. The mixture is stirred at intervals until the dry ingredients have been absorbed and the drink is ready for bottling. Red vermouths can derive their color from botanicals, added red wine, or sometimes from caramel color. Rose-colored vermouth uses red and white wines as its base. [28] Most vermouths are bottled at between 16% and 18% ABV, as compared with the 9–14% ABV of most unfortified wines. [5] [29] [30]