Vermouth Rebounds
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BASE INGREDIENTS As aromatized and fortified wine, vermouth draws its character both from its base wine and the infusion of herbs and other botanicals. For Lustau, the base of Amontillado and PX Sherries is key. Ransom chooses to highlight the non-grape ingredients on the front label. STRAIGHT OR MIXED? Numerous restaurants, including some op- erated by the Denver-based Sage Restau- VERMOUTH rant Group, serve vermouths on tap, and Sage is working to create a house-brand for 20+ units. Like with gin, though, vol- ume isn’t the story—value is. REBOUNDS “The potential is there for a large vermouth producer marketing more in the U.S.,” says Tad Seestedt of Ransom Wines IS IT FINALLY VERMOUTH’S TIME? & Spirits, who produces both sweet and SUPPLIERS ARE RAMPING UP… dry vermouth. “As people are exposed, they open their minds to the idea that it’s BY JACK ROBERTIELLO not just for cocktails. And I think the real opportunity is for people to start thinking of it as something uoyed by the return of many Spanish stand-by Oliveros has entered that should be paired with food.” classic drinks that require the the U.S. with a red-wine-based brand. Gonzalez Byass’s La Copa wine-based aperitif, vermouth Two classic vermouths—Ital- was launched last year, from Bhas flourished as bartenders have ian Martini & Rossi and French Noilly an 1896 recipe. For Lustau, incorporated Old World brands now de Prat—owned by Bacardi have expanded too, the uncovering of an old rigueur in many bars. Mostly on-premise their expressions as well. For Noilly Prat, recipe and growing interest in focused, the growth has encouraged nu- Extra Dry, Original Dry, Rouge and Am- aperitifs convinced them tim- merous producers. bré are now sold in the U.S. Martini now ing was right, says Grupo Ca- Gallo now offers a set of niche offers, in addition to the classic Bianco ballero’s Myrna Santos Mayor. vermouths called Lo-Fi, about to roll and Rosso, the higher-end Gran Lusso as “The U.S. is a primary focus market, out in the New York market. NYC well as two new styles of vermouth di mainly because it offers an advanta- already has a crafty contender in Torino: Riserva Speciale Ambrato and geous opportunity based on two solid Atsby. On the West Coast, Quady Rubino. Even German vermouth contrasting points: first the in- Winery’s Vya has gone nationwide. makers are seizing the opportunity; creased demand for creativity in And Spanish producers are especially Ferdinand’s Saar Vermouth, a Ries- complex cocktails, and also the no- gearing up—Sherry houses Lustau and ling-based, small-batch expression table rise for on-the-rocks, simple Gonzalez Byass just introduced their using local herbs, has found a U.S. low-ABV drinks,” she says. Lustau own Sherry-driven vermouths, while importer in Preiss Imports. uses a base of Amontillado and PX Sherry, while La Copa has mini- he says. Served with sparkling erates in alcohol and sugar for weeks with mum eight-year-old Oloroso and water, sparkling wine, in a long rhubarb, coriander, cinnamon and more. PX plus eight herbs and spices. drink with mixer or just on the “We have produced 1,000 bottles, each rocks, many smaller brands using exactly the same label designs as the COMPLEX CHARACTER are created with mixabil- original ones,” adds fourth-generation Expanding vermouth’s flavor pro- ity in mind. owner and winemaker Pio Boffa. ■ file informed the creation of Lo- “Bartenders are start- Fi, says Steven Grasse, founder of ing to realize that not all Quaker City Mercantile, which vermouths are alike and we WHAT IS VERMOUTH? produced the recipes for Gallo. now have a range that can “The vermouths were specifi- make different styles of Vermouth is an aromatized and Lo-Fi sports a fortified wine; it can be dry or sweet cally formulated to be complex contemporary look; most Manhattans, that go bet- enough to be sipped on their European vermouths ter with different ryes or bour- own but also with versatil- lean toward traditional bons,” says Gary Gruver, Marri- It starts with a base of a neutral designs and fonts. grape wine or unfermented wine ity in mind so they work well ott Global Operations Beverage must; to this producers add alcohol in a variety of cocktails without Manager. and a proprietary mixture of dry overpowering the flavors in other craft For the Sage Group, vermouth is a ingredients—aromatic herbs, roots, spirits,” he says. big deal. “We’re totally head over heels in barks, flowers, spices and other Ransom’s Tad Seestedt, who sells love with vermouth,” says Brandon Wise, botanicals. about 80% of his vermouths on-premise, Corporate Director of Beverage Opera- and others point out that the trend to- tions. “These days we’re really paying at- The name “vermouth” dates to mid- th ward lower alcohol beverages, as aperitifs tention to every ingredient and vermouth 17 century Europe; it is the French pronunciation of the German word or as sessionable drinks during a night, is very important again.” wermut, for wormwood, which has have made vermouth more appealing. Attention on the field of vermouths been used as an ingredient over the “We are seeing consumers enjoying certainly will continue to build. Fratelli beverage’s history. vermouth in a more European way, just Branca is ramping up promotions for on the rocks as an aperitif. This push their two classic vermouths, Carpano Usage has ranged from medicinal is mainly coming from bartenders, wait Antica Formula and Punt e Mes, both purposes, as an aperitif in fashionable staff and sommeliers who are on the floor imported by Infinium Spirits. Look soon cafés; and as a distinctive contributor and can educate guests about the plea- for a vermouth from the Yarra Valley in in cocktails. sure and flavor of vermouth on its own,” Australia, Regal Rogue, currently in the Vermouth’s greatest hits, cocktail- UK and Australia and planning wise, include the Martini, the to launch here this fall. Manhattan, the Rob Roy and the Also coming to America: Negroni. Pio Cesare is reviving both a Barolo Chinato and a Ver- Historically, there have been two main mouth, last produced in types of vermouth, sweet and dry, but 1951. The original hand- the styles are expanding as the natural opportunity to create vermouths with written recipe from 100+ distinctive proprietary character has years ago starts with uno- led to a spurt of innovation in the 21st aked Chardonnay and century. Moscato which then mac-.