1. Vermouth in Savoy: the story of vermouth, an alpine appetizer

Travelling exhibition

Exhibition curators and conceptors:

Loreleï JAUNIN Chloé BÉRARD Valentin CORNUTY Dimitri CLAUSS University Savoy Mont Blanc

Photographic credits:

Muséobar, Claudine THEOLIER Musée Savoisien, Archives départementales de la Savoie, Solenne PAUL Archives départementales de l’Ain Chloé BÉRARD Bacardi-Martini Dolin, Gérard COTTET

Thanks to crowndfunders

ALCOHOL ABUSE IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH, PLEASE CONSUME IN MODERATION

2. « Wermut » or the absinthe’s flavors

The origin of the word “vermouth” would be Germanic, “wermut” meaning absinthe.

The artists and the green fairy Baudelaire, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Picasso… Many 20th Century artists inspire themselves with absinthe. This liquor of bourgeois cafés brings them glory and decadence.

The main extracts, which we can find in Vermouth, are artemisias. One of them is absinthe.

During the 4th Century BC, Hippocrates was allegedly the inventor of this medicinal properties’ elixir called, vinum absinthiatum. But these potential aphrodisiac and inspirational qualities were already known since ancient Egypt.

However, it is in the late 18th Century that the first absinthe distillery opened in Switzerland. It is from that time that the word “Wermut” is used for absinthe.

Absinthe’s sales increased mostly from the 1870’s, thanks to the phylloxera attack which affected the wine market. On the eve of the 20th Century, absinthe has entered in the customs of the Frenchmen but also Frenchwomen.

In Chambery, vermouth makers generally produced several liquors such as absinthe and génépi.

The prohibition of the green hydra In the beginning of the 20th Century, absinthe is accused of every ills of the century. Its prohibition is motivated by temperance societies. In 1907, the author Léon Daudet writes: “I’m in favor of wine, against absinthe”. In 1915, absinthe is prohibited in France, like before in Belgium and Switzerland. This prohibition crystallizes the alcoholism’s fears and ills among working and upper class.

Captions :

 Edgar DEGAS “In a café” (The Absinthe)” © Orsay Museum  Chavasse label for the white Absinthe © Muséobar  Edouard Manet « The absinthe drinker » © Ny Carlberg Glyptotek

3. From white wine to vermouth

Vermouth is an appetizer mainly composed of macerated white wine. In Chambery, it is composed of dry white wine of Savoy.

French wine history is heavily impacted by the phylloxera attack during the mid 19th Century. Everywhere, wine quality declines after the substation of attacked vine roots. In Savoy, a productive and resistant grape variety called La Jacquère is promoted.

Back in these days, Savoy winegrower preferred quantity over quality, making a slightly sweetened fruit but acid and low in alcohol. 1890-1910 years mark the period of the biggest expansion of Savoy vineyard. It is as well the golden age of vermouth.

In those days, wine production in Savoy is mainly intended for the family uses as an additional income and a way of avoiding paying wine, used daily, especially to purify water. Selling the surplus to the vermouth producers maked winegrowers able to earn more money. Destined to maceration, vermouth makers from Italy and Chambéry don’t look for premium wines because they add extracts, sugar and alcohol to it.

Therefore, at the turn of the 19th and 20th Century, vermouth producers of Chambéry turn wine into vermouth. However, production conditions of Chambéry’s Vermouth do not rule out the use of foreign wines to overcome the lack of products in case of disaster such as the phylloxera attack.

In the 20th Century, in Culoz, the Martini & Rossi Company does not use much of Savoy wine. They prefer to import its main competitor, the southern France wine.

The phylloxera From 1845, the French vineyard is attacked by mushrooms forcing wine makers to import more resistant American plants. But these plants bring with them “the one who dries out the leaves”: the phylloxera. This aphid, of the cicadas and cochineals family, lives on roots and leaves of grapevines. The notion of microscopic is then unknown and this harm remains misunderstood. American plants represent then both the phylloxeric evil and its cure. They also give a wine that doesn’t have the quality of French wine. Grafting is then privileged in order to have the resistance of American plant and the quality of the French fruit. However phylloxera devastates the French vineyard in the 1870-1880’s and brings the ruin of many winegrowers.

Captions:

 Wine pump and barrels © Wine museum of Montmelian  Shipments of vermouth in Culoz, around 1938 © Martini  Caricatures, Times, 1890 4. The alpine origins of vermouth

This highly Savoyard beverage was born in Turin before its expansion in southern France but also in Chambéry.

The invention of vermouth, in 1786, is attributed to Antonio Benedetto CARPANO who moved to Turin first as an assistant in a distillatory then set up his own business. He decided to transform the Torinese Muscat to an aromatized wine by adding plants and spices. This beverage becomes successful especially among women customers, not fond of local wines.

During the industrial 19th Century, macerated wines are considered as preventive and curative fortifiers used to eliminate factory’s dust. In these days, in Turin, big houses open among vermouth makers: Cinzano (1757), Cora (1835), Gancia (1850), Aneselmo (1854), Martini & Rossi (1863).

Vermouth’s success also reaches France. In 1813, Joseph NOILLY, based in Marseillan, near Béziers, creates a variant of Italian vermouth: the Noilly Prat.

The drink arrives in Savoy in 1821, thanks to the distiller Joseph CHAVASSE. Founder of the house Dolin, he produces his own version of the torinese beverage. Chambéry welcomes subsequently numerous vermouth makers such as Philibert ROUTIN who founds, in 1883, his house Routin. Gradually, the city becomes the vermouth capital.

Royal anecdote Victor-Amédée III shutdowns, in 1886, the Rossolis liquor production, appreciated by the court. It is said that this decision was made after the Piedmont-Sardinia king has received a vermouth bottle. Therefore, the king’s taste seems to be at the origin of this new beverage’s success.

Captions:

 Postal Card for the Chambéry-strawberry Comoz  Cinzano poster, around 1910  Carpano label  Dolin label © Savoisien museum

5. Plants, wine… vermouth

Made from dry wines, vermouth comes from a complex mixture that gives his bittersweet taste.

The numerous aromatic plants, spices and fruits used in the making of vermouth are kept secret by each producer.

Preparation of the vintage Add white wine, neutral taste, with 96° alcohol or mistelle*. Put in the first aromatic plants. Leave aside for 3 months.

Preparation of aromatics’ extracts Extract flavors from more than 30 herbs types and spices by infusion* or maceration* in alcohol and pure water. For the traditional way, proceed by distillation* or percolation*.

Mixture Mix extracts and vintage to obtain the vermouth base.

Addition of alcohol Add alcohol to obtain the alcoholic degree desired (between 15 and 18°)

Sugaring Add cane or beet sugar for white vermouth and caramel to give red vermouth’s color.

Brewing

Aging Let the mixture age for 6 months. For the traditional way, use oak cask.

Stabilization and treatment Proceed to clarification*, pasteurization*, then refrigeration (-10°) and filtration of the mixture.

Bottling

Labelling of the bottle Put a label on the bottles to indicate their origin.

Lexicon

Clarification: process of making the liquid more clear and pure, particularly by adding proteins.

Distillation: process of making the liquid’s alcohol evaporate and condensate in order to increase the alcohol degree in the final product (distillate). Infusion: process of extracting the aromas of a vegetal by dissolving in a boiling liquid.

Maceration: process of extracting the soluble compounds of a solid by putting it in a liquid.

Mistelle: Mixture of grape must and alcohol.

Pasteurization: preservation process of heating at an elevate temperature then quickly cooling a liquid.

Percolation: process of extracting the aromas of a vegetal by crossing it with water vapour.

Captions:

 Maceration and storage tanks at Culoz, around 1928 © Martini  Manual packaging of Martini vermouth at Culoz, around 1928 © Martini  Mechanized bottling of Dolin vermouth at Chambéry, 2014 © Dolin  Vermouth tanks at Culoz, aound 1928 © Martini

6. Dolin: creator of vermouth in Savoy

Marie Dolin’s syrups are well known in Chambery, but so few are aware of his link with the city’s vermouth.

With or without “h”? Even if the word “vermout(h)” can be written both ways, Joseph CHAVASSE intends to name his liquor “vermout”, without “h”, in order to differentiate it with the beverage from Turin and Southern France. Therefore, most of Chambery vermouts loose the “h”. Besides, according to a 1928 civil court’s judgment “only the vermouth made in Chambéry has the right to use the appellation Vermout de Chambéry”. However, to facilitate export to Anglo-Saxon countries, vermouth makers prefer to use “vermouth” over “vermout”

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Joseph CHAVASSE, a liquorist from Les Echelles since 1815, discovers in Turin the success of this absinthe-like liquorous beverage. His own vermouth recipe, mixing dry wine form Savoy and macerated alpines plants is ready in 1921.

In 1830, the Chavasse establishment settles in Chambéry, faubourg Reclus, where it develops its production and expands its exportations to Piedmont. Joseph CHAVASSE keeps elaborating liquors: among his “Crème Royale”, his “Elixir d’Amour”, his “Eau d’Or” or his “Absinthe Blanche”, the liquorist makes the génépi of Alps liquor.

In 1843, his daughter, Marie Rosalie, marries Louis Ferdinand DOLIN: it is from that point that the company takes the name Dolin and the Chambéry vermouth encounters an international expansion.

In 1904, the Dolin establishment transfers its factory Rue Frezier along the Leysse river. That is where it starts its new product: the Chambéryzette, following the success of the Chambéry-fraise in every cafés.

Therefore Dolin writes on its bottles: “inventor of the vermout of Chambéry” or “creator of the vermout in France”.

Captions:

 Dolin label for the liquor “Eau Napoléon” © Muséobar  Vermouth fountain © Dolin  Dolin poster for the Chambéryzette © Savoisien Museum  Dolin advertisement in Chambery © Savoisien Museum

. hambery has become the vermouth capital

At the turn of the 20th Century, Chambery is full of vermouth makers. The “Chambéry” is drunk all around the world.

Custodibus istis “To these guardians”. The Chambery’s motto is written on most of the bottles of the Chambery vermouth. Therefore we can find on the companies’ logos, the shield of Savoy: the arms of the House of Savoy (gules of silver cross), the golden star of the capital, the crown, the castle tower and the greyhounds of fidelity, sometimes replaced by other characters. In this way, vermouth factories are fitting perfectly well within their territories.

In these days, Dolin inspires many vermouth makers of the former capital of Savoy: Comoz (1854), Richard (1860), Reynaud (1870), Mermet (1882), Routin (1883)… As rivals, they were fighting each other for the innovations in the vermouth sector.

For their advertisement, vermouth makers use the services of renowned poster designers such as DOL, Edmond MAURUS or Leonetto CAPIELLO. They export many of their production: to Anglo-Saxon countries and to the end of colonial territories (Alger, Hanoï, Saigon…)

However, by the 1950s, facing the emergence of new appetizers (pastis, whiskey), the vermouth consumption declines in France. Nowadays, only Dolin and Routin still produce Vermout of Chambery.

Vermouth is sometimes better known in the Anglo-Saxon world than in his native region: the ex First Lady of the United-States of America was reported to be one of its biggest fans. In Savoy, it is hard to find it on tables, but easier in dishes: trout with vermouth, sabayon…

The rugbymen “vermouthiers” The nickname of the Chambery rugbymen would be linked to their victory of the “Challenge de l’Espérance” in 1933.. During their homecoming the team was received by hundreds of Savoyards, including Léon ROUTIN, son of Philibert, who offered to each player a small barrel of vermouth!

Captions:

 Comoz poster (unknown author)  Richard poster (A.DOL)  Reynaud poster (L.CAPPIELLO)  Richard poster (A.DOL)  Vermouth makers posters (Comoz, Cinzano, Mont-Blanc) on a store façade in Chambery © Savoisien Museum 8. The origin labeling of the “ hambery ”

Camembert, charentaises, roquefort, laguioles, tropéziennes… and the Chambéry! How to avoid counterfeiting?

Judgement of the civil court In 1928, the origin labeling “Vermout de Chambéry” is acquired by the Union of vermouth makers of Chambery: this appetizer finds in Chambery “its origin both geographic and historic” and “is the result of recipes and infusions created, executed and followed uniformly for a considerable time by all producers that made it their main industry and constantly developed it since then in the way of a local manufacturing characterizing local practice, loyal and consistent, whether by themselves or by their predecessors”.

Joseph CHAVASSE is the first vermouth maker in Chambery. Then, many wine merchants and liquorists produced this trendy appetizer. The “Chambéry” is drunk in every French and foreign cafés… even though it is not made in Chambery.

During the ruling of the Chambery civil court (1928), the “Société des Distilleries Paul BOULANGER”, from the Paris area, is questioned: it produces the “Chambéry” in Paris… Thus, it is convicted, under the law of May 6th of 1919 on the protection of the origin labeling.

Therefore, the main companies of Chambery, which are part of the Union of vermouth makers of Chambery (Comoz, Reynaud, Richard, Dolin, Routin et Mermet), stick on their bottles the stamp pledge of authenticity showing that the Vermout de Chambéry is a registered trademark.

Nowadays, “Vermout de Chambéry” designed an appetizer mostly made up of white wine, fruits and aromatic plants. This designation “is given to this appetizer borne and made during a long period with domestic products in the city whose name it bears, was first an origin labeling, [then] producers have acquired a right to property on this designation which has become, in some ways, a collective trademark”.

Captions:

 Dolin’s red vermouth poster  Vermouth Richard label  Vermouth Mermet label  Comoz’s white vermouth label  Stamps of authenticity of the Vermout de Chambéry © Savoisien museum

9. The famous Martini & Rossi vermouth

As it evolves, the House of Martini & Rossi becomes the queen of vermouth and marketing!

The "Martini" was born in 1863, due to the partnership between Alessandro MARTINI, a wine merchant, Teofilo SOLA, an accountant, and Luigi ROSSI, a herbalist.

1865: The first awards The House of Martini & Rossi wins its first medal during the Dublin International Exposition. Victories in Paris, Vienna and Philadelphia will follow. Thanks to these expositions, Martini gains a worldwide fame.

1868: The princes’ drink King Victor-Emmanuel II of Savoy allows Martini & Rossi to put his coat of arms on their bottles. Several others monarchs follow his example. Those bearings show Martini’s filiation with the European royal courts.

1918: The artistic touch For its advertisement, Martini & Rossi partners with some great Italian artists such as Marcello DUDOVICH and Leonetto CAPPIELLO. Thus, the modern styling of the Martini’s marketing appears.

1962: A secret agent as ambassador In the first ever James BOND movie, the famous secret agent gets served a medium-dry vodka Martini “shaken, not-stirred”. This quote won’t leave the double agent who sip this cocktail in almost all his movies. The Martini vermouth finds his most famous ambassador.

1968: Sponsor in motor sport In the World Endurance Championship, Porsche partners with the Martini Racing program. The brand puts its mark, the famous white and blue strips, in mechanical sports via the sponsoring.

1993: The merger of two giants The multinational Martini and the Cuban giant Bacardi merge to create the Bacardi- Martini, bringing together more than 200 alcohol brands. Nowadays in France, the Martini is not anymore marketed as a vermouth but as an aromatized wine, with less alcohol.

Captions:

 Martini & Rossi poster, around 1900 © Martini  Martini & Rossi poster, L. CAPPIELLO © Martini  Martini & Rossi’s vermouth factory in Culoz © Martini 10. The Martini’s vermouth factory of uloz

Between 1911 and 1989, we produce in Culoz, at the Savoy border, the vermouth of the famous brand Martini & Rossi.

An Italian factory France’s south-east is, since the mid-19th Century, a land of Italian immigration, fleeing poverty, and then, from the 1920’s, the rise of the fascism. The establishment of Martini & Rossi in Culoz allows to Italian immigrants of the village to work for a familiar company. Indeed, Martini & Rossi’s head office sends to Culoz Italian technicians, to protect the vermouth’s manufacturing secret, and also a plant manager from Turin.

In 1925, the Martini & Rossi company opens a French branch with its head office located in Paris. This establishment formalizes a presence in France since 1911. Employees are notably identified in the Rhône-Alpes region, in Culoz, township in the Ain department.

Produce in Culoz brings many advantages to the vermouth company. It allows avoiding French-Italian border’s custom charges while remaining reasonably close to the mere branch in Turin. Furthermore, the railroad, which crosses the town, allows the supply in wines, herbs and other products needed to make vermouth. It is also a way to bring competition to the Vermout de Chambéry...

The factory grows during the 1920s: it becomes an industrial complex, which employs about thirty people.

Inside the main building, the winery, we can find tanks where white wine and herbs extracts were macerated. Those tanks, which contain 500 hectolitres of vermouth, release a strong smell of alcohol, which stick to workers’ clothes and skin. Working closely with wine may generate alcohol issues in certain employees.

The vermouth factory of Culoz stops its activities in April 1989 when Martini & Rossi decided to relocate the production in Beaucaire, in southern France.

Martini vermouth and Duval pastis The Culoz factory was also the unique production site of the French pastis brand Duval, owned by the Martini holding. Every day, trucks delivered pastis from Culoz all over France.

Captions:

 First warehouses acquired by Martini & Rossi in Culoz in 1914 © AD Ain  Junction of the railroad in front of the complex, 1920s © AD Ain  Inside of the vermouth winery, around 1928 © AD Ain  Actual interior of the vermouth winery