Vermouth: going back more than two centuries

Going back more than two centuries….

It was 1786 when Vermouth was created by Benedetto Carpano in the liqueur factory of Piazza Castello, Turin as a digestif , taking its name from the German word Wermut meaning wormwood (or artemisia absinthium)), the plant making up the main ingredient of the new liqueur wine.

It didn't take long for Vermouth to become a byword for Italian and Piedmontese excellence, counting among its many and also renowned admirers Cavour, Giuseppe Verdi and Massimo D'Azeglio, all of which helped towards making this wine distinguished and aristocratic, a sort of status symbol.

Recently, in March 2017. a decree was issued recognizing Piedmont as the Geographical Area of Production of Vermouth. And it was precisely among the gently rolling hills of the Langhe, that Luigi Calissano founded his namesake winery which, apart from grand red wines of the Langhe and Classic Method Spumante, produces for the most part Vermouth, the aromatic wine which set a style that has never gone out of fashion.

Purists prefer their Vermouth served neat at 12 degrees C. with two ice cubes, a slice of orange and a squeeze of lemon/ lemon twist; for us it's an indispensable part of any self-respecting cocktail such as an Americano (red Vermouth, bitters and soda), Manhattan (red Vermouth, Rye whiskey, Angostura bitters) and Martini Cocktail (white Vermouth and gin). But in 2019, the year of its centenary we can't but recommend the historic Negroni (red Vermouth, bitters and gin) or its Sbagliato version (red Vermouth, bitters and spumante!).

Take it from me: I'm a Sommelier!