If your knowledge of vermouth is limited to the splash in your martini, this post is for you! The world of vermouth is a diverse one, and vermouth’s uses extend beyond the classic martini. CORK carries a variety of vermouths – check them out below and stop by to pick one (or all!) up. CORK is open daily from 11AM to 8PM for in-store shopping, but if you prefer, reserve online for pick up!
First, what is vermouth? Vermouth is an aromatized wine made via the addition of botanicals – we’re talking herbs, spices and roots – as well as sugar or juice and/or spirits. There are three dominant classifications for vermouths although there are certainly varieties that fall outside these groups: sweet red vermouth, dry white vermouth, not to be confused with the third classification, blanc, a sweet white vermouth. Regardless of classification, always refrigerate your vermouth after opening and try to consume it within three weeks.
ANTICA TORINO VERMOUTH DI TORINO ROSSO
By sampling vermouths and digestivi from around the world, Antica Torino has set out to create refined recipes inspired by Piedmontese tradition. Rather than importing exotic botanicals, Antica Torino takes a practical and historical approach by opting for what is readily available in the backyard. Their Rosso variety is a vermouth “of the garden,” packed with fresh rosemary, bay laurel, thyme, oregano, wormwood, gentian, rhubarb and more. It’s made with a variety of white wines, including a small percentage of indigenous moscato for its floral elements. This sweet vermouth is delicious on its own or in cocktails – Negronis in particular!
ANTICA TORINO VERMOUTH DI TORINO DRY
Botanicals for Antica Torino’s dry vermouth include wormwood, yarrow muscat, centaurea, hyssop, thistle, cinnamon, coriander and sage – a harmonious balance between mountain and garden herbs. The base is Cortese wine from Piedmont that renders a particularly elegant and floral vermouth. Enjoy Antica Torino Dry on the rocks with a twist of lemon or in bold classics such as a Martini or a Rob Roy.
MONTANARO VERMOUTH DI TORINO ROSSO
From another Piedmont based producer, Montanaro’s Rosso is deep amber brown in color, due to the addition of fine Marsala. It has a classic citrus taste of bittersweet orange, as well as notes of myhrr, licorice, gentian and rhubarb. Enjoy on its own or in a Manhattan!
MONTANARO VERMOUTH DI TORINO BIANCO
A combination of white wine infused with more than 20 natural herbs and roots, Montanaro Bianco is characterized by a clear straw yellow color, bright aromas of tropical and orchard fruit, and a sweet-tart, citrusy palate. Montanaro uses just the right number of herbs to extract the properties and aromas of each one of them, revealing harmonious scent that are also soft on the palate and not invasive. While you may certainly use it in a cocktail, this Bianco is ideal as an aperitif, to be served chilled or with ice.
LO-FI APERITIFS DRY VERMOUTH
Napa-based Lo-Fi Aperitifs motto says it all – “crafted with California wines and natural ingredients.” Lo-Fi’s Dry Vermoutb is white wine and grape spirits infused with fennel, coriander, cardamom, elderflower, cherry, anise and chamomile flavors. Complex spicy flavors on the palate are balanced with the fresh fruit flavors from the Muscat Canelli. Enjoy chilled on its own or mix it with cider, gin and rye whiskey.
BODEGAS BARBADILLO ATAMAN VERMUT
In a 200-year old company with sixteen bodegas, sometimes surprising things get found. In this case, Barbadillo discovered old tonic wines of indeterminate age and recipe. Barbadillo called on winemaker Montserrat Molina to develop a new vermouth recipe to approximate the flavor profiles of what they found. The result, Atamán Vermut, is a potently delicious sipping vermouth built on Manzanilla sherry with quassia, bitter orange, wormwood, elderberry and rosemary dominating the botanical roster. When drinking, it starts sweet, but then the bitterness sets in, making it a complex and stylish vermouth. Great on its own, chilled with an orange, Atamán Vermut may also be mixed with gin, mezcal, rum and whiskey.
ALMA DE TRABANCO QUINQUINA EN RAMA
Trabanco is this most iconic natural cider house in Asturias, Spain. Alma was born from memories of founder Emilio Trabanco, who would add a little cider to his vermouth, thus balancing the sweetness of vermouth with the refreshing acidity of his cider. The primary botanicals in Alma de Trabanco include cinchona, wormwood, savory, gentian, artemisia, cinnamon, star anise, coriander, thyme, and vanilla. Fruits include cherry, orange peel, and lemon. The flavor profile is bright, refreshing, and satisfying, making Alma de Trabanco the perfect aperitif before a meal or base for your favorite session cocktail.
