Decanter’s complete guide to vermouth and 10 must-try bottles

What is vermouth?

The unsung hero of many classic cocktails, vermouth is an aromatised fortified wine. It can be traced back to ancient Chinese, Indian and Greek civilisations, which commonly infused botanicals in their wines – often for medicinal purposes.

Wormwood was a popular ingredient in these infusions; an intensely bitter plant that was thought to cure stomach ailments. It was the German word for wormwood – wermut – that gave its name to vermouth.

Through the years vermouth transformed from a medicinal tonic into an enjoyable libation. Italy’s Piedmont and France’s Savoie regions became the heart of production, thanks to their Alpine terrain, rich in wormwood and other botanicals.

How is vermouth made?

Vermouth is made from a base of neutral, low-alcohol wine or unfermented grape must, using varieties such as Piquepoul, Clairette Blanche, Trebbiano and Catarratto. Producers fortify this base with neutral spirit and flavour it with various botanicals.

A botanical is any plant-based substance, including herbs, spices, flowers, roots, bark and leaves. The list of vermouth botanicals will be familiar to gin lovers; including juniper, citrus peel, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, chamomile and ginger. Despite the origins of its name vermouth doesn’t have to include wormwood.

The particular mix of botanicals creates each vermouth’s signature taste and aroma. So producers keep their recipe a closely guarded secret. After the wine is fortified and infused with botanicals, the vermouth can be sweetened with sugar.

Are there different styles of vermouth?

Historically, there were two main types of vermouth: sweet red or dry white. Today the selection is more sophisticated and the range of styles includes extra-dry white, sweet white (bianco, blanc), red (rosso, rouge, roux), amber (ambrato, ambre) and rosé.

Sweet vermouths generally contain 90-130g/l of sugar, while dry vermouths won’t exceed 50g/l and tend to have a lighter texture than sweet styles.

New products from Spain, the US and UK, as well as France and Italy have increased the choice in styles. You'll even find low- and no-alcohol versions for lighter serves that tap into modern drinking trends. Which vermouth to choose depends on personal taste and how you plan to drink it...

How to serve and store vermouth

Vermouth can be enjoyed on its own over ice as an apéritif or in a longer drink mixed with soda water or tonic. As the average abv of vermouth is 16%-18% it’s a low-alcohol alternative to serves such as a G&T or vodka and tonic.

White, amber and rosé vermouths should be served chilled at 12°C-14°C, while red vermouth is best served at 16°C.

Because it is a fortified wine, an open bottle will keep for much longer than regular wine. But unlike spirits, an opened bottle of vermouth will gradually oxidise and deteriorate over time. So pop your open bottle in the fridge and it will keep for up to three months.

Vermouth in cocktails

In the late 19th century, bartenders started to use vermouth in the exciting new mixed drinks of the day: cocktails! Over time it became a key ingredient in a range of classic drinks from Martinis to Manhattans.

Martinis are made with dry white vermouth, such as Cocchi’s Extra Dry – which was launched in 2021 especially for use in Martinis.

Confusingly a ‘dry’ Martini is made with less dry vermouth and a ‘wet’ Martini with more dry vermouth. While a ‘perfect’ Martini is made with equal parts dry and sweet white vermouths.

Exactly which vermouth to use is down to personal taste and your style of Martini: Gin or Vodka, a Dirty Martini, Vesper or Gibson. See below for some suggestions…

Meanwhile the whisky-based Manhattan calls for sweet red vermouth, as does the Boulevardier: a blend of bourbon, vermouth and Campari.

The Negroni is a mix of equal parts sweet red vermouth, gin and Campari. Meanwhile, the lighter White Negroni (invented in 2001 by the late and great British bartender Wayne Collins) uses white vermouth Lillet Blanc, gin and Suze gentian liqueur.

Vermouth with food

Vermouth is a winning aperitif, so it's no surprise that it pairs brilliantly with salty snacks that you'd enjoy before dinner. Think olives, crips and salted nuts.

In Spain la hora del vermut is a pre-lunch weekend ritual that sees friends and family gather to enjoy a glass of vermouth with snacks and tapas. Salty and fatty food pair particularly well, from jamón Ibérico or anchovies to a slice of tortilla.

White vermouth makes a good match with most cheese, except blue. While sweeter red vermouth suits a charcuterie platter with salami and cured meats.

The crisp palate of dry vermouth is a match made in heaven for oysters and other shellfish. Try it as a good value alternative to Champagne.

10 great vermouths to try

Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth

Antonio Benedetto Carpano created the recipe for Antica in 1786. It’s a traditional Vermouth di Torino, made using a base of Italian grapes from Romania, Puglia and Sicily with botanicals including saffron and vanilla. With its aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla, bitter cherries and orange peel, plus chocolate orange, spice and coffee on the palate, it partners perfectly with bourbon to make a cracking Manhattan. Antica Formula was also the original vermouth used to create the Martinez cocktail. Alc 16.5%

Azaline Vermouth Saffron Roux

This characterful French vermouth is infused with Persian saffron for a distinctive take on the dry red style. It’s made by Burgundy wine producer Gabriel Boudier, using Pinot Noir as a base wine. With botanicals including cardamom, juniper and tarragon, it’s a darkly spicy vermouth, dominated by saffron aromas and flavours, with raspberry and black cherry fruit. Crisp and dry, with a lingering finish laced that’s with oriental spice and bitter cherry. Enjoy it as a spritz with soda water and a slice of orange or use it in a Saffron Negroni. Alc 17%

Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino

First produced in 1891, Cocchi is a best-selling brand made with a base of Moscato grapes from Asti and a botanical recipe that includes quinine, star anise and achillea. Amber coloured thanks to the addition of burnt sugar, there’s great intensity on the palate: rich and luscious with bitter orange, cocoa, spices and whiff of smoke. Equally happy in a Negroni or a Manhattan. Alc 16%

Cucielo Bianco Vermouth di Torino

One of the new generation of Vermouths di Torino, made with respect for the traditional style, but with a focus on using sustainably sourced botanicals and packaging. Alongside a clove-laced Rosso, this Bianco uses a base of Trebbiano, Grillo and Ansonica grapes, with botanicals including wormwood, green apple, cardamom, pink pepper and elderflower. Very herbaceous and floral, with a distinct note of dried thyme and ripe peachy fruit on the palate. Lovely with tonic or try a Cucielo Cinque 7, with Prosecco, Angostura bitters and soda water. Alc 16.8%

Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Dry

Producing vermouth since 1821, Dolin is the only remaining independent vermouth producer left in Chambéry, which is the only French region that has a DOC for its vermouths. Made using Alpine botanicals including wormwood, brooklime, rose and verbena, the range also includes sweeter blanc and rouge styles. Dolin Dry boasts citrus freshness, grape and lychee sweetness, dry herbal notes and some lip-smakcing salinity. Use equal parts Dry and Blanc to create a Perfect Gin Martini. Alc 17.5%

El Bandarra Al Fresco

The El Bandarra Spanish vermouths hail from Barcelona and are made using native Garnacha and Xarel-lo grapes, plus Mediterranean botanicals. Their cool typographic bottles are inspired by the hand-painted menus on tapas bar windows. The range includes a Blanco and Rojo but the vibrant Al Fresco, with its bright cherry and red berry fruit, grapefruit citrus freshness and herbal bitterness is my favourite. refreshing summer cooler that will appeal to fans of the Aperol Spritz. Alc 14.5%

Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino

The Martini brand traces its roots back to 1847. Its Rosso and Bianco are dependable big sellers, but this top-of-the-range Riserva Speciale Rubino Vermouth di Torino was introduced in 2015 and makes a knock-out Negroni. Base wines from Piedmont and small parcels of Langhe DOC Nebbiolo, are selected by Martini’s master blender, Beppe Musso, and infused with exotic botanicals including African red sandalwood, holy thistle and three different types of wormwood. Alc 18%

Noilly Prat Original Dry

The classic dry French vermouth, produced in Marseillan since 1843. Made from two base wines (Picpoul de Pinet and Clairette) which are left to age separately in barrels in the open air for a year, imparting an amber colour to the final vermouth. The botanical recipe includes bitter orange peel, nutmeg, chamomile, cloves, coriander and yellow gentian. Very herbal and peppery on the palate, with piney freshness that lifts a Dry Martini beautifully. Noilly Prat Ambre is harder to find, but well worth seeking out. Alc 18%

The Aperitivo! Co Lyon Dry Vermouth

This French-style white vermouth is made in small batches using renewable energy by Bristol’s The Aperitivo! Co, from a base of Spanish Macabeo grapes. Botanicals including lemon, elderflower and fennel create a floral and citrus profile, with notes of crisp green apple, hay and a refreshing herbal lift. Enjoy it neat over ice or pair it with tonic water and garnish with a grapefruit slice. Alc 18%

Vault Coastal Dry Vermouth

This English vermouth is made in Saffron Walden in Essex from a base of white Bacchus grapes. Foraged botanicals include woodland pine and nettles, meadowsweet and dandelion, plus oyster shell and rock samphire for this breezy Coastal expression. I love the piney freshness and rock salt salinity here, plus notes of elderflower from the Bacchus. Drink it on ice or with a splash of soda; it pairs brilliantly with olives at aperitivo hour. But it’s also a good choice for a Dirty Martini. Alc 17.6%

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