Many, seeing the name "Vermouth" in the restaurant’s menu , do not even imagine that. But this is a fairly common and tasty drink.
Since ancient times, our ancestors loved to experiment with alcohol, especially with wine. They tried to make it tastier and richer by adding various herbs. In this way they made “good” wine out of “bad” wine.
Vermouth: what is it?
So, let's try to explain what kind of drink it is, what it is made from and where it came from.
Vermouths are grape wines infused with fragrant plants, especially wormwood. In German, the word vermouth means wormwood. Although this type of wine is of Italian origin, and the best drinks are no doubt made in Italy. For example, the well-known "Martini" is an Italian vermouth, the name of which has become a household name. Today in the United States, for example, the word "martini" refers to any drink of this kind.
Homeland of the drink
They began to produce vermouth at least two thousand years ago on the outskirts of Turin. The plains of Italy are one of the most fertile places in all of Western Europe. Since ancient times, Italians have grown excellent grape varieties there. And on the alpine slopes are plantations of aromatic herbs of various species. They then mix with wine.
Structure
The main component of vermouth is, as already mentioned, wormwood. In some extracts (flavorings) its essence is very high: up to 43%! In addition to wormwood, vermouth can also contain yarrow, cardamom, mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, black elderberry and other fragrant plants.
Kinds
There are two types of this drink: sweet and dry. The first type of vermouth - what kind of drink is it and what is it like? Usually with a heavy texture, sweet, it can be a little tart in taste, well aged and with a rich aroma. The sugar content in such vermouth is from 10% to 15%. There are three types: white (Bianco), red (Rosso) and pink (Rose). The first is usually a straw yellow, brown or golden hue. It has less sugar than red or pink. And its taste is more tender and even slightly bitter. The amount of sugar in white vermouth may not reach 10%. Red and pink drinks have a more intense and intense taste.
Dry vermouth - what kind of drink is it and what happens? Unlike sweet, it has a much lighter consistency and less saturated aroma. The sugar content in such a drink does not exceed 4%. Dry vermouth is only one color - white (Dry, Extra Dry, Secchi, Bitter). Unlike sweet, such a drink is much lighter. Dry vermouth belongs to the category of bitters (bitter alcoholic drinks).
Vermouth: Worldwide Stamps
1. Of course, Martini (Italy). It is a major producer of vermouth worldwide.
2. "Gancha" (Italy). Their most famous drink was Gancia Dry.
3. "Cinzano" (Italy). It differs from the rest in its original tastes. The company produces two exclusive types of vermouth: Orancchio of light amber color with orange flavor and Limetto of a pale yellow shade with lime flavor.
4. "Neilly Prat" (France). This is the driest drink of all existing vermouths. Very strong - 16%.
5. "Salvatore" (Spain). Recognized aperitif in Russia. This vermouth is produced in the domestic market, it is affordable and tastes good.