Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino.Supplied
Martini, negroni and manhattan drinkers know that vermouth is an ingredient in their favourite cocktails, but they don’t give the bittersweet beverage much thought, says Roberto Bava, who has worked to revitalize the vermouth category since his family acquired Cocchi distillery in 1978.
To capture attention for the vermouth and wine-based aperitivos his family makes in Cocconato, a medieval hill town outside Turin, in Piedmont, Italy, Bava took a quality first approach while reviving ancient recipes and pioneering new brands. Since relaunching Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino in 2011, a bittersweet fortified wine based on a historic recipe that had fallen out of production, Cocchi has become a darling of bartenders around the world.
Roberto Bava, who has worked to revitalize the vermouth category since his family acquired Cocchi distillery in 1978.Supplied
“Imagine being a bartender who is used to making a normal negroni and suddenly one of the three ingredients becomes very, very good,” Bava explains. “Now, there’s a real wow factor … like using burrata instead of ordinary mozzarella for your caprese salad.”
Bava has turned his attention to educating cocktail drinkers, wine lovers and other spirit enthusiasts about the virtues of vermouth at home.
Vermouth is an aromatized wine. It’s a style of wine, traditionally made in Italy, France and Spain, that has been fortified by the addition of distilled alcohol, and infused with botanicals, such as herbs, spices, citrus peels, barks and roots. Wormwood – a bitter herb that is also used to make absinthe – is the most used ingredient.
As a result, vermouth is produced in a range of colours and flavours, but a common characteristic is the balance of bitterness and sweetness.
Cocchi Spices used in Vermouth.Supplied
Drier styles of white vermouth include popular brands like Noilly Prat and Dolin from France. Italy is known for sweet styles, such as bargain staples, Cinzano Rosso and Martini & Rossi, as well as premium brands, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth and Cocchi Vermouth di Torino.
Well-made vermouth makes a great sipping drink, served either on its own or over ice with a garnish of lemon or orange, Bava says. You can use it to make a classic cocktail, but its woody, spiced and herbal notes are flavourful enough to fly solo.
By way of introduction, Bava oversees the mixing of a vermouth and tonic, using “two fingers” (roughly two ounces) of his Vermouth di Torino served in a wine glass filled with ice cubes, topped with tonic water and garnished with orange zest. It’s a refreshing and satisfying cocktail that is bound to help you see vermouth in a new light.
Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino is $32.75 at LCBO outlets, various prices in British Columbia and Alberta, $72.99 in Saskatchewan.