HOW TO DRINK VERMOUTH
9 GREAT VERMOUTH DRINKS THAT BRING YOUR FIRST BOTTLE TO LIFE
Growing up Vermouth had remained a completely alien category to me. Sure I had heard of Martini and remembered its cool livery on the hood of the iconic Lancia Delta Integrale in the World Rally Championships, but I had never actually drunk a glass of this or any other vermouth, at least not that I can recall.
Many years later, and having launched a Vermouth brand, it seems that I was not the only one, since by far the single question that I get asked the most is; Why Vermouth?
Unless you were of drinking age in the 50s and 60s, it is very likely that you understand what the hell I am talking about. I mean, you recognized the brands sitting on the bar shelf or hiding in the back of your parent’s cabinet, but you may have not really tried Vermouth at least until recently, most likely mixed into a cocktail. Turns out, that this had been the trouble all along, it was either too sweet or too bitter to drink alone, and far too complicated to mix at home.
Thankfully, the renaissance of cocktail culture has brought back bartenders’ interest in vermouth, and with it a demand for better quality products that attracted new players with new ideas and an array of innovation that is fueling a revival of vermouth.
#1 DRINK VERMOUTH ON ITS OWN: I have always believed that it should be possible to enjoy the drink inside any bottle I bought without the need of doing anything else to it. When we started working on 9diDANTE INFERNO, we always kept this goal in mind, and we have stayed true to it; from the quality of the wines we chose, to achieve the right balance of bitterness, herbal notes and citric freshness. I am of course biased towards my baby, but ours is not the only vermouth that you will enjoy drinking straight, so pour it over ice and add nothing but a twist of orange, the diversity in botanical blends and the variety of the wines that you will find along the way, will take you on a journey of discovery. Still not convinced? Learn how we make it
Trying your hand at some fancy cocktails may feel a step too far, but unless you have been on the moon for the last ten years, chances are that you have become a bit of a specialist at mixing Gin & Tonics. Let me introduce you to 3 very easy ways of mixing Vermouth that are super enjoyable and maybe even a bit surprising:
#2 VERMOUTH & TONIC: Pairing a bitter mixer with a bitter spirit may be something that you have not tried yet, but when you do it will blow you away and you will ask yourself why you have not tried it earlier. Adding Tonic turns 9diDANTE into an even lighter and more refreshing long drink that you can enjoy at any time of the day.
#3 VERMOUTH SPRITZ: Equal parts of 9diDANTE and Prosecco, topped up with soda water make for a vibrant twist on the now too common Aperol Spritz. The deep ruby colour of this vermouth and prosecco cocktail will seduce you and the taste will enchant you. For a slightly fruitier twist, try mixing it with one of the new pink proseccos that are just coming into the market, you will not regret it.
#4 VERMOUTH & COFFEE: Mix a Caffé Dantesco and bring together two of Italy’s biggest passions. Coffee and vermouth were made to be together and when stirred over ice with a twist of orange and lemon they really complement each other. This is a drink that you can enjoy equally straight after launch, or in the middle of the afternoon.
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When in Rome, … drink Aperitivo. Vermouth is the quintessential Italian drink, so what better way to enjoy it than by learning to mix the cocktails that Italians have spent well over a century perfecting. If you find yourself in Milan, Turin or Rome any afternoon after 5pm you will see bars buzzing in what is locally known as aperitivo time. A group of friends, a couple of small bites and a great drink or two. The next three drinks are easy to mix and will take your vermouth experience to the next level.
#5 THE AMERICANO: Italians have been drinking an equal part mix of Vermouth and Bitter since the late 19th Century. The original drink was known as the Milano-Torino or MI-TO as it represented the home cities of each of the ingredients (Bitter from Milan and Vermouth from Turin), at some point in the 30s, American tourists on holiday in Italy started to order their MI-TOs with soda as they liked to enjoy their liquor back home. The drink stuck with local consumers as a lower alcohol version of their favourite drink.
#6 NEGRONI: Ever since count Negroni asked his bartender to spike up his MI-TO in Florence in 1919, this cocktail has been growing from strength to strength. Today, this equal parts vermouth, bitter and gin drink is the 2nd most popular cocktail in the World after the Old Fashioned. Try playing around with the measures of each ingredient and find the balance that is right for you. Learn more about the history of the Negroni.
#7 NEGRONI SBAGLIATO: The Sbagliato cocktail comes to life at Milan’s Bar Basso during a busy aperitivo hour in the late 1980s. A moment of distraction led to prosecco mistakenly being added to a Negroni instead of gin, this posh version of the original turned out pretty well and was named after the Italian word for ‘mistaken’, in honour of this now glorious blunder.
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