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Vermouth Wine

Vermouth belongs to the world of spiced wines and originates from an infusion of aromatic plants, among which the most symbolic is surely artemisia (absinthe). Whether it is White, Rosé or Red, according to the disciplinary, it must contain at least 75% of wine, have an alcohol content between 15.5-22% and a residual sugar variable according to the type. The recipe is however very complex, secretly handed down from generation to generation and it requires hard and lengthy work for its realization. Founded by Carpano in a store in the city of Turin in 1786, in the course of the years this excellence has become the symbol of the Piedmontese aperitif and the main ingredient of famous cocktails, such as Negroni, Americano, Martini and Manhattan.

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Vermouth belongs to the world of spiced wines and originates from an infusion of aromatic plants, among which the most symbolic is surely artemisia (absinthe). Whether it is White, Rosé or Red, according to the disciplinary, it must contain at least 75% of wine, have an alcohol content between 15.5-22% and a residual sugar variable according to the type. The recipe is however very complex, secretly handed down from generation to generation and it requires hard and lengthy work for its realization. Founded by Carpano in a store in the city of Turin in 1786, in the course of the years this excellence has become the symbol of the Piedmontese aperitif and the main ingredient of famous cocktails, such as Negroni, Americano, Martini and Manhattan.

The Origins and History of Vermouth Wine

Vermut, as it is also known in the Piedmont region, is one of the few wines with a precise origin. Its history began in 1786 with Antonio Benedetto Carpano, owner of a store in Turin and scholar of herbal medicine. The young man made this beverage inspired by the ancient models of Greeks and of Hippocrates which, according to the legend, consisted in aromatizing the sacred nectar with spices, honey and herbs in order to make the taste more pleasing and possibly hide possible faults. Carpano decided to start from a local product, Moscato di Canelli, and, by adding spices and aromatic herbs, he obtained a unique and innovative spiced wine, which soon entered the court of Savoy and transformed his liquor shop into the most popular place in the whole of Turin. Carpano called his invention Vermouth, most probably taking inspiration from the German word Wermut, which identifies the Artemisia Absinthium, more commonly known as Absinthe, which is the main aromatizer. Another hypothesis, less accredited but nevertheless reported by some sources, suggests the term was created by a French herbalist during the reign of the Sun King as a similar beverage, called Wehrmut (Wehr meaning 'army' and Mut meaning 'courage' in German), which was dedicated to soldiers in order to face wars in Germany. In spite of this, as Arnaldo Strucchi says in his publication "The Vermouth of Turin'', "if it was not born in Piedmont, then in Turin it had its baptism of fame".



Ingredients and Types

Vermouth wine represents Piedmontese excellence and has been produced for centuries by ancient wineries in Turin such as Mulassano, Cinzano and Cocchi. Today, it has become the reference point for aperitifs and evokes all the charm of Turin's ancient traditions.

The method used to produce it has remained more or less unchanged and must follow certain criteria established by the disciplinary. First of all, it must contain at least 75% of white wine (Moscato is very common, but Gavi or Timorasso are also used) or, in some rare cases, red wine as well. Alcohol can be added in order to make sure the minimum alcohol content is equal or higher than 15.50% and does not exceed 22%. The recipe however remains a secret, but it requires the infusion in different times and quantities of the following elements: artemisia (it must necessarily be present) and a great quantity of different spices/herbs that vary based on the producer's choice (gentian, vanilla, juniper, cinnamon, nutmeg, elder, cinchona, mint and many others). Depending on the level of sugar obtained, it can be divided in the following categories:

  • Extra dry, less than 30 g/l
  • Dry, less than 50 g/l
  • Semi-dry, between 50-90 g/l
  • Semi-sweet, between 90-130 g/l
  • Sweet, more than 130 g/l

In addition the wine can be White, Rosé or Red, the latter being the only one to which caramel or burnt sugar can be added in order to reach this shade.

As of 2017, it has been granted IG recognition by the Piedmont region. This denomination includes more restrictive factors, such as the use of exclusively Piedmontese absinthe and domestically produced wine.



Serving and Mixology

In the crowded market of Piedmontese wines, this excellence of Turin holds a prominent place, in particular when it comes to aperitif time. According to tradition, it can be enjoyed straight with ice cubes, orange slices and lemon peel squeezed over the glass or it can become a star in the creation of the most eccentric and famous cocktails. The Dry version is mainly used to make Martini cocktails, whereas the sweet version is used to make the famous Negroni, Negroni Sbagliato, Americano, Rob Roy, Manhattan and many others.