Vermouth, Wermut or Vermut? History and recipes of a timeless classic

Turin is a city steeped in nobility and tradition. In the shadow of the Mole Antonelliana, the ancient capital has preserved the elegance of its past intact. Where else could one of Italian culture’s most refined drinks have been born? The year was 1786 when Antonio Carpano first came up with the idea of blending white wine with an infusion of alcohol, sugar and various botanicals, including artemisia. It was a recipe crafted for pleasure rather than medicine, which had always been the custom until then. Modern Vermouth was born.

The name comes from the German word for wormwood, the botanical that gives the product its signature character. Over the decades, the spelling shifted: the German Wermut became Vermut during Turin’s golden age, before settling into today’s Vermouth. Wines infused with herbs were already familiar to the ancient Greeks, but were used purely to treat physical ailments. For this reason, they were known as vini Ippocratici, after Hippocrates, the father of medicine.

Vermouth was an immediate sensation. Unlike bitter amari, which were cheaper and widely enjoyed by the working classes, this new fortified wine found favour among aristocrats and at the royal court of the Savoia family. Its fame then exploded across the Atlantic in the hands of American bartenders, who stirred it into legendary serves such as the Manhattan and the Martinez. Having reached the heights of popularity, Vermouth then suffered a protracted decline, culminating in industrial shortcuts and lower-proof iterations. Only recently, thanks to clear legal regulations on the recipe, has its understated distinction been rediscovered and placed back at the heart of the cocktail world.

So what exactly is Vermouth? It is a product made of at least 75 per cent wine, white or red, sweetened and then aromatised with an alcoholic infusion of numerous botanicals, including Roman, Pontic or sea wormwood. There are various styles, classified by sugar content: a maximum of 30 g/l for extra dry Vermouth and 50 g/l for dry, and no less than 130 g/l for red, white and rosé. It is a common myth that the colour comes from the wine used. In fact, it comes entirely from the sweetening stage, where sucrose turns into burnt sugar or caramel, giving the drink its dark hue. In most cases, even red Vermouths, such as Cinzano, are made from white wine. In the past, aromatic grapes were preferred, especially Moscato: sugar was precious, so starting with a sweet base meant less needed to be added. Today, neutral grapes like Trebbiano are chosen instead. The alcohol content also varies across styles: a minimum of 14.5% ABV for red, white and rosé, rising to 16% for dry and extra dry.

In 2017, strict production standards established the official denomination Vermouth di Torino. To carry this label, the wine must be entirely Italian, the wormwood must come from Piedmont and the minimum strength rises to 16% ABV (18% ABV for dry and extra dry styles). A stellar example is 1757 Vermouth di Torino, whose label pays tribute to the historic workshop of the Cinzano brothers. This limited edition bottling (each bottle is numbered) features 12 distinct botanicals including mint and vanilla in the red edition, while the extra dry style highlights a blend of Trebbiano paired with coriander and angostura.

Originally, Vermouth was drunk neat or with a splash of soda to make it even more enjoyable. Americans, however, began mixing it into their great masterpieces, the Manhattan and the Martini Cocktail. With Prohibition and the flight of many bartenders to Europe, people here also started pairing it with another staple, bitters. This gave rise to the great classics of Italian and international tradition: the Negroni, the Americano, the Milan-Turin and the Boulevardier, the latter created at Harry’s Bar in Paris. Simple recipes and few ingredients make for an aperitivo you can easily serve at home, guaranteed to impress.

Whether you spell it Vermouth, Wermut or Vermut, there is only one thing left to say: cin cin.