The famous brand of sparkling wines and vermouth "Chinzano" in October 2017 celebrated its 260th birthday. On this occasion, a grand exhibition was held in the brand’s homeland, Turin, which was held from October 5 to January 14 at the National Museum of Risorgimento Italy.
At the exhibition, bottles, glasses and even the first advertising illustrations of the Cinzano vermouth were shown. Everyone could visit the museum and trace the history of the origin and development of the Chinzano brand.
Also, regarding the occasion, Chinzano launched the 2009 Cuvée Vintage Alta Langa DOCG wine.
History tour
And it all started back in 1757 in the city of Turin. Initially, vermouth was used as a tincture for medicinal purposes. Seamlessly, he turned into an aperitif, which was served in small glasses with a piece of ice.
And only once it entered the territory of the United States, it gained wide popularity. It was there that they began to add it to all kinds of cocktails, the most famous of which - Manhattan - is still popular today.
After there was a time of oblivion of the vermouth. But in the twentieth century, he again returned to the peak of popularity. The reason for this lies in the fact that people began to drink alcohol before dinner, whereas before it was a taboo in a decent society. Since the supply of alcoholic beverages began at 5:00 pm, bartenders were looking for a way to serve primarily low-alcohol drinks in order to "keep up appearances" and not cause discontent among non-drinkers. Then we remembered about vermouth, which perfectly combined the softness of taste and interaction with all kinds of soft drinks, which diluted it. We can say that with the fashion for cocktails, the fashion for vermouth returned, one of the best brands of which is Chinzano.
Nowadays, Vermouth "Chinzano" is sold in more than 100 countries.
What you need to know about the Chinzano vermouth?
Vermouth is a product consisting of 75% wine enriched by the addition of various herbs, the first of which is artemisia or, more simply, wormwood. The combination of herbs is kept in the strictest confidence, since this is exactly what distinguishes the Chinzano vermouth from its competitors. Vermouth is usually based on white wines, but lately they have been adding red ones. The strength of the wine is increased by adding alcohol and sugar, which is produced from grapes or raisins.
There are various types of Cinzano vermouth. They are distinguished by color: white, red and pink; and for sweets: sweet, dry and extras dry. Sweet vermouth should have a minimum alcohol content of 14.5%, dry vermouth - at least 16% and extras dry - at least 18%. Sweet species are called dessert.
How to drink "Chinzano"?
The main advice is that once you open the bottle, it should be stored in the refrigerator and quickly consumed.
When and how to drink “Chinzano” vermouth is best? This can be done both after a meal and before it, because vermouth helps to awaken appetite. That is why it is so popular as an aperitif in all kinds of cocktails.
Vermouth is served most often in cone-shaped cocktail glasses. Less commonly, in whiskey glasses.
What do they drink Vermouth "Chinzano" with?
Many people prefer to drink pure Chinzano vermouth. Some interfere with juice and vodka. Vermouth "Chinzano" often serves as the basis for various kinds of cocktails. Glasses served with vermouth are usually decorated with fruit slices. They perfectly complement the drink. Also, sometimes ice or frozen fruits are added to cocktails with vermouth , which allows you to cool, dilute and just make the cocktail more attractive. How to drink "Chinzano" - in pure form or in a cocktail, it's up to you. But according to statistics, 90% of the use of vermouth falls on cocktails.
White Vermouth "Chinzano"
The most popular of the Cinzano vermouths is white or, as it is also called, Cinzano Bianco. The secret of the white vermouth "Chinzano" is to add chamomile to its composition, which makes its taste soft. How to drink "Chinzano Bianco" so as not to get drunk right away? Since it has a delicate taste, one might mistakenly think that it is not very strong. In fact, the minimum alcohol content in the vermouth "Cinzano Bianco" is 14.5%. Therefore, it is best to dilute it with lemonade, soda or tonic.
With what to drink Vermouth "Cinzano Bianco"? Various fruits are best suited, which can be attached to the edge of the glass, tossed into the drink, or served separately.
Red and pink vermouth
Both of these vermouths are sweet. There is no particular difference between them. Both of them were the result of an experiment to add red wine to a traditional white vermouth. Therefore, the most important difference is in color. This drink goes well with white alcohols such as vodka, whiskey, gin and rum. This gives such cocktails an amazing amber hue. The result is a pretty strong drink, so in order not to overdo it, you need to know how to drink “Chinzano Rosso”. Experienced bartenders often dilute such cocktails with tonic and always add ice. Served in glasses for whiskey. But ultimately, how to drink Chinzano, in its pure form or in a fancy cocktail, is up to you.
How to distinguish quality vermouth?
Vermouth "Chinzano" - pleasure is not cheap. Therefore, if you come across a bottle of Chinzano at an unreasonably low price, then most likely it is a fake. The production of Chinzano wine takes at least 80 days, enrichment and tincture on herbs takes another 50 days, after which the vermouth is filtered, and this is another 20 days. Often vermouth is kept in special barrels, and only then they are bottled and put on sale. The time and labor spent on making the delicious Chinzano vermouth cannot be cheap. On average, a liter bottle of such a vermouth costs 12-15 euros (800-1000 rubles). The taste of white should be soft, in red it is more monotonous, since in its pure form it is practically not used.