Pottery shards found in a small Neolithic village in the Zagros Mountains of modern day Iran revealed wines infused with terebinth tree resin (a member of the pistachio family). The Middle East was not far behind either. McGoven’s finding are well documented, but there are many other examples which indicate that aromatised wines were prevalent in ancient China. Further excavations in the Shang Dynasty city of Taixi uncovered more wine infused with peach, plum, sweet clover, jasmine, hemp and sweet wormwood. Yet again these still contained liquid, rice wine that had been aromatised with botanicals including tree resin from china fir, chrysanthemum and herbs from the Artemisia family most likely to be mugwort. McGovern also tested samples from an upper-class tomb from the late Shang Dynasty. Hold tight for a similar entry for Dry Vermouth next year, which for now has been deliberately taken as a separate timeline.! In this “history of” article I’ve focused on the origins, birth, rise, fall and revival of Italian Sweet Vermouth. Recently, I have also had the pleasure of tasting a rather delicious, sweet vermouth from China - which leads us to where it all started. British distilleries are teaming up with local vineyards and showcasing the best of British hedgerows, orchards and coastal paths in their wonderful liquids. It’s not just happening “elsewhere” either. There’s also Spain’s bolshy Rojo, big bright and herbaceous, often with lovely Sherry notes.Įlsewhere in Europe and you’ll find deep rich reds and rosés that transport you to the forests of southwest Germany, while in Australia, they are showing off their new world wines and combining them with unique native botanicals.
We are spoilt for choice with the huge selection of sweet vermouths on the market today - from classic Italian Rossos and sweet spicy Biancos, steeped in history and the unmistakable taste of Turin’s terroir. It’s a drink to be enjoyed alone, over ice or with a splash of soda, as an aperitif, a little something to tease the palate and get your taste buds working before dinner. It was created as a drink to be sipped in the fashionable Cafes of Turin. This has stayed with me and rings true as Sweet Vermouth is not just a cocktail ingredient nor something to be understood in the context of something else. I must have reeled off a hundred different answers including ‘damn delicious’ but he just kept shaking his head until I gave up and he said, ‘Vermouth is Vermouth’. One of our favorite cocktails is a White Negroni using equal parts Chiaro Amaro from Woods Distillery, Ampersand Gin and our Bianco Vermouth.Īs always, all of our products are made from mead, using 100% British Columbian blueberry-blossom honey.I was once asked by Roberto Bava of Cocchi (and the main man behind the campaign to regulate Vermouth di Torino) ‘what is Vermouth?’. It is not overly sweet by any means, it's sweetness is balanced with it's herbaceous bitterness and brightened up with lemon peels. While this vermouth is made in the Sweet style with hints of our Rosso Vermouth, it had a vibrancy all it's own and works wonders in highballs, or just poured straight over ice. Best enjoyed on ice with a lemon twist or olive and perhaps topped with sparkling water.īianco Vermouths are often used to substitute a Rosso Vermouth where a lighter cocktail variation is desired. Sought after and adored by curious seagulls across Vancouver Island for its charming herbaceous and bitter qualities. Lemon peel, vanilla and garden herbs spring to life in this delightful apéritif, aromatized by our continuously aged botanical Solera.
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