Vermouth - Wikipedia

Consumption of wines fortified with herbs or roots is believed to have begun in China at least as early as the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties (1250–1000 BC).[9] The extra ingredients were added to wine to make it a medicinal drink. Medicinal drinks made by the alcoholic fermentation of herbs and sugars are mentioned in early Indian texts on medicine,[10] though this does not imply that European vermouths originated from ancient Chinese and Indian drinks. Recipes for infusing white wine date back to ancient Greece from around 400 BC. A popular ingredient was wormwood, based on the belief that it was effective at treating stomach disorders and intestinal parasites.[citation needed][11]

It was commonly used in Hungary at least since the 15th century with different species of artemisia plants, such as mugwort or wormwood and other spices such as mustard seeds, horseradish, elfdock, etc. Wormwood is called üröm or irem in Hungarian, hence the drink is called ürmös (wormwoodish) or ürmösbor (wormwoodish wine). In the 16th century, it was used with imported spices, too, including cinnamon, clove, etc. It was well known for healing stomach and digestive problems.[12]

The name "vermouth" is the French pronunciation of the German word Wermut for wormwood that has been used as an ingredient in the drink over its history. Fortified wines containing wormwood as a principal ingredient existed in Germany around the 16th century. Around this time, an Italian merchant named D'Alessio began producing a similar product in Piedmont as a "wormwood wine". D'Alessio's version of the libation contained other botanical ingredients in addition to wormwood. Competing brands emerged shortly thereafter in eastern and southeastern France, each with its own proprietary mix of ingredients, including herbs, roots, bark, and spices.[5][13][14] By the mid-17th century, the drink was being consumed in England under the name "vermouth", which has been the common name for the beverage until the present day.[13][14]

Over time, two distinct versions of vermouth became established, one pale, dry, and bitter, and the other red and sweeter. Merchant Antonio Benedetto Carpano introduced the first sweet vermouth in 1786 in Turin, Italy. The drink reportedly quickly became popular with the royal court of Turin.[5][15] Around 1800 to 1813, the first pale, dry[14] vermouth was produced in France by Joseph Noilly.[5][14] However, not all pale vermouths produced over time have been dry, and not all red vermouths have been sweet.[5]

The use of vermouth as a medicinal liquor waned by the end of the 18th century, but its use as an apéritif increased in Italy and France.[3] By the late 19th century, vermouth was being used in cocktails.[4][5] Bartenders found that it was an ideal mixer for many cocktails, including the Manhattan (beginning around 1880) and the precursors to the martini.[16] In addition, the popular Vermouth cocktail, first appearing in 1868,[17] consisted of chilled vermouth and a twist of lemon peel with the occasional addition of small amounts of bitters or maraschino. The popularity of vermouth-heavy cocktails in America, often using twice as much vermouth as gin or whiskey, continued through the 1880s and 1890s.

Although the amount of vermouth used in cocktail recipes had somewhat declined, it has recently been experiencing a rise as a favorite among a new breed of bartenders,[18] as a key ingredient in many cocktails.[5][19][20][21] Vermouth gained popularity in the 1950s with help from the martini, which was being marketed by liquor companies. Product placement and celebrity endorsements from personalities such as Ernest Hemingway and Humphrey Bogart helped to increase the martini's profile. However, the most successful advertiser of the martini was the fictional character James Bond.[22]

The popularity of vermouth in the United States and Great Britain declined after the mid-20th century, but was still used in those countries in many classic cocktails such as the Manhattan, albeit in smaller amounts. The drink is more popular in other parts of Europe (such as Italy, France, and Spain, where it is often consumed by itself as an apéritif). It is also very popular in Argentina, where—due to major Italian immigration during the late 19th and early 20th centuries—it is more than a drink; it is a cultural tradition among families, at the table and afterwards.[23] Even such international brands as Cinzano have Argentinian-only products like Cinzano Segundo, made with local grapes.

In the years since 2013, interest in vermouth has renewed in the US. Artisanal makers have created new brands of vermouth that do not seek to imitate European styles, and vermouth has been a fast-growing category within the wine trade.[24]