Vermouth



Vermouth is a fortified wine flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices ("aromatized" in the trade) in recipes that are closely-guarded trade secrets. It was so named in the 18th century by the French, who were inspired by a German wine fortified with wormwood, a psychoactive plant also used in distilling absinthe. The modern German word Wermut means both wormwood and vermouth. The herbs were originally used to mask raw flavors of cheap wine, imparting a slightly medicinal "tonic" flavour.

There are four styles of vermouth, in order from driest to sweetest: French, dry, sweet/red, and bianco/white. The sweet red vermouth are drunk as an aperitif, often straight up, as well as in mixed drinks. Dry white vermouth, along with gin, is a key ingredient in the mixing of martinis, in proportions that may account for the lackluster sales of dry white vermouths. A sweet white vermouth is also made.

The best-selling specialist makers of vermouth exported internationally include