What is Vermouth?

The proper union of gin and vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived.
~ Bernard DeVoto

Before we begin our innerving and roborant amble along the avenues of oenology to find out what vermouth is, let's see how much you know your wines! Okay, here's a simple wine-related trivia question - what do Port, Sherry, Madeira wine, Marsala wine, Vins doux naturels and Vermouth have in common? Anyone? Hell yes! You got it right, fella! All of these come under the category of fortified wines! Okay, for those of you who look lost, a fortified wine is basically made the same way as any other wine - from fermented grape juice - the only difference being that after the wine is ready, a distilled spirit/ beverage, usually brandy, is also added to it. Well, now that I've stirred up your interest, let's proceed towards finding out what is vermouth.

Composition of Vermouth

All you oenophiles who have a taste for fortified wines must be well aware of what is vermouth made out of. For those who are still virgins to the sensuous escapades of vermouth, this aromatized liquor is made from wine with a distilled spirit added to it with a number of aromatic herbs and spices imparting it that typical flavor which is the chief characteristic of vermouth. The flavoring spices and herbs that are used to make vermouth include cardamom, cinnamon, chamomile and marjoram. Vermouth may have a sweetish flavor or it may be unsweetened, the latter being termed as dry vermouth.

The name, vermouth comes from the German word Wermut which means wormwood. You must be wondering about the possible relationship between wormwood and vermouth, right? Well, going back to the time when the vermouth recipe was invented by Italian distiller Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786, the inspiration for this recipe was a similar German wine which was flavored by wormwood. Wormwood is a significant flavoring substance in the distilling process of absinthe.

What are the Uses of Vermouth?

Besides being an important ingredient in most cocktails, vermouth is also a good substitute for white wine in cooking. When stirring up a cocktail, vermouth plays the role of a moderating agent by imparting a herbal flavor and reducing the volume percentage of alcohol in the resultant drink. Martini is, perhaps, the most popular cocktail that sues vermouth as a moderating and flavoring agent. If you know how to make a martini, then, I assume, you're definitely not a stranger to vermouth's significance in this cocktail. So, what does vermouth do to a martini? It breathes life into it, that's what it does! You can switch between gin and vodka but vermouth is a must in any martini. There can possibly be no vermouth substitute in a martini. If there ain't any vermouth, that ain't a martini that touches your lips - I rest my case!

What Cocktails Contain Vermouth?

Besides martini, the most popular cocktails that are not quite themselves unless they have some vermouth in them are as follows:-

• Algonquin
• Nice Communist
• Bamboo
• Satan's Whiskers
• Blood and Sand Cocktail
• Rob Roy
• Bronx
• Pall Mall
• Crystal Bronx
• Octopus' Garden
• Chocolate Soldier
• Mephisto
• Corpse Reviver #1
• Negroni
• Gibson
• Manhattan
• Income Tax Cocktail
• Martinez
• Ingrid
• Man O' War
• El Presidente

That was a crisp overview of what is vermouth including a laconic discussion of its various uses and significance in making cocktails. There are three distinct styles of vermouth that you can bring home, depending upon how sweet or dry you like your liquor. These are extra dry, bianco/white, and sweet/red. The sweet red variant is the most versatile of the three as it can be served with meals and is also fit for drinking straight up as well as being mixed in cocktails. The dry and white styles are mostly used for stirring up cocktails. So, what would you say to taking home some good vermouth brands and trying out a couple of party cocktail recipes this coming weekend? I would say Cheers!