Vermouth, a flavoured fortified wine, was first commercially crafted in 1786 by Antonio Benedetto Carpano in Turin, Italy. While ancient civilisations like the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese experimented with herbal wines for medicinal purposes, Carpano transformed these traditions into a fashionable apéritif. He blended white wines with over 30 botanicals, including wormwood, vanilla, and saffron, creating the first modern vermouth. Turin quickly became the drink's epicentre, with its royal court endorsing it.
Later innovations included dry vermouth by Joseph Noilly in 1813 and Chambéry vermouth by Joseph Chavasse in 1821. Vermouth evolved into a key ingredient in cocktails like the Manhattan and Martini, solidifying its role in aperitivo culture and mixology.
History of Vermouth: From Ancient Herbal Wines to Modern Cocktails
HFC TV: the history of vermouth
Ancient Herbal Wines: Early Beginnings
Long before vermouth became a staple in European drinking culture, ancient civilisations were already infusing wines with botanicals, primarily for medicinal purposes. These early experiments in aromatised wines took root independently in regions such as China, Greece, Rome, and the Middle East. Each culture developed its own unique approach, often using these herbal blends to address ailments like digestive issues and fevers.
Medicinal Wines in Ancient Greece and Rome
Around 400 BC, the Greek physician Hippocrates created what came to be known as "Hippocratic wine." This was made by steeping wormwood and dittany flowers in strong, sweet Greek wine. While its primary purpose was medicinal, it laid the foundation for later herbal wine traditions.
The Romans took this concept further, crafting their own botanical wines by combining Mediterranean ingredients like wormwood, honey, myrrh, cassia, pepper, and spikenard. Known as "absinthium vinum" (wormwood wines), these blends were more than just remedies - they became a key feature of Roman feasts. Praised for their digestive benefits, these wines transitioned from purely medicinal use to becoming a social drink, a transformation that hinted at the eventual role of vermouth in European society.
Herbal Wine Traditions in China
China's history with infused wines stretches back even further. Archaeological findings from north-central China reveal that as early as the Neolithic period (6200–5600 BC), people were blending fermented beverages with botanicals. Dr Patrick McGovern's analysis of pottery shards from Jiahu uncovered evidence of wines made from grapes or hawthorn fruit, combined with honey mead and rice wine.
The Kingdom of Savoy: Where Modern Vermouth Began
While ancient civilisations laid the foundation for herbal wines, it was the historic Kingdom of Savoy that provided the perfect setting for the birth of modern vermouth. Spanning parts of present-day Italy and France, Savoy became a hub for wormwood wine production. The region's rich natural resources, coupled with strong trade connections, transformed vermouth from a medicinal concoction into a sophisticated social drink. This unique combination of factors not only preserved local herbal wine-making traditions but also paved the way for future developments in vermouth.
In 1562, Duke Emmanuel Philibert moved his capital from Chambéry to Turin in the Piemonte region. This strategic relocation, aimed at reducing vulnerability to French invasion, brought the Savoy court into closer contact with Piedmont's aromatic wine culture. Over time, the Dukes and their courtiers embraced these traditions, elevating botanical wines to a symbol of aristocratic refinement.
Moscato Grapes and Alpine Botanicals
Two standout ingredients made the Savoy region an ideal birthplace for vermouth. First, the Moscato grape, a native variety celebrated for its high sugar levels and intense aromas, became the cornerstone of vermouth production. These grapes produced naturally sweet wines with delicate floral characteristics, offering the perfect base for infusing botanicals.
However, the local wines themselves were often unimpressive, leading winemakers to enhance them with the region's abundant alpine botanicals. The surrounding hills of Piedmont were a treasure trove of wild herbs, flowers, barks, and roots. Combining the fragrant Moscato wines with these readily available botanicals created the blueprint for what would become commercial vermouth.
The Venetian Spice Trade Connection
Savoy's geography offered another significant advantage: its proximity to Venice, one of Europe's major trading centres. Venetian merchants imported a steady supply of exotic spices from East Africa, India, and Indonesia, which they distributed across the region. Ingredients like cardamom, cinnamon, myrrh, cloves, rhubarb, ginger, and sandalwood opened up new flavour possibilities for Savoy's winemakers. By blending these exotic spices with native Piedmont botanicals, they crafted complex, multi-layered flavour profiles that would define vermouth for generations.
This blend of Mediterranean and Asian influences, combined with local ingenuity, firmly established Savoy as the cradle of modern vermouth.
Antonio Benedetto Carpano: Creator of Modern Vermouth
In 1786, Antonio Benedetto Carpano, a herbalist from Turin, discovered that the region's white wines could be significantly improved by fortifying them and adding a mix of botanicals. This idea turned vermouth from a medicinal herbal wine into what is widely regarded as the first commercially available apéritif. Carpano's creation marked a turning point in the history of vermouth, building on the Savoy region's long-standing tradition of herbal wines.
Carpano's Original Formula
Carpano crafted his vermouth by blending high-quality white wines from Romagna, Puglia, and Sicily with over 30 botanicals. These included Alpine wormwood from Piedmont and the Aosta Valley, vanilla, and Iranian saffron. He fortified and sweetened the wine, carefully balancing the flavours to create a drink that appealed to a wide audience. To enhance the sweetness and aroma, he added burnt sugar, using a mix of hot and cold infusions to extract the desired flavours. The blend was then refined over several months to achieve harmony. Carpano named his creation "Wermut", the German word for wormwood, highlighting the importance of this key bitter ingredient.
Adoption by the Royal Court
Carpano's innovative vermouth quickly gained popularity among Turin's elite. Duke Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoy was so impressed with the drink that he replaced the traditional rosolio with Carpano's creation. This royal seal of approval made it the fashionable apéritif of Turin, sparking widespread interest.
The drink's success led to a rapid increase in demand, prompting Carpano to expand his shop. His achievement not only inspired a surge in vermouth production across Turin but also established the city as a hub for the beverage. By the time of the Second World War, Turin boasted around 400 different vermouths. Carpano's pioneering work laid the foundation for the rich vermouth tradition that still shapes aperitivo culture today.
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The Development of Sweet and Dry Vermouth Styles
After Carpano's success, European producers began experimenting with new approaches, expanding the range of vermouth styles. In particular, French producers played a pivotal role in shaping vermouth's evolution, introducing variations that diverged from Carpano's original recipe. Key figures like Joseph Noilly and Joseph Chavasse were instrumental in creating distinct styles that left a lasting mark on vermouth's history.
Joseph Noilly and the Birth of Dry Vermouth
In 1813, Joseph Noilly, a herbalist from Marseille, crafted the first commercially produced dry vermouth. Departing from the sweet Moscato grapes commonly used in Italian vermouth, Noilly opted for pale white wines from the Languedoc region. He infused these wines with a blend of wormwood, chamomile, and bitter orange, resulting in a lighter, more herbaceous flavour profile. This dry style, which became known as Noilly Prat, established a uniquely French identity, setting it apart from the sweeter Italian vermouths.
Joseph Chavasse and Chambéry Vermouth
In 1821, Joseph Chavasse introduced Chambéry vermouth in the alpine town of Chambéry, France. Drawing inspiration from the herbal traditions of Chartreuse monks, Chavasse used local alpine herbs to create a distinctive vermouth. Later, Louis-Ferdinand Dolin acquired the recipe and refined it, giving rise to the blanc variant - a style that blended the sweetness of Italian vermouth with the crisp dryness of French varieties. Chambéry remains the only region in France to hold an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for its vermouths, ensuring the preservation of its unique alpine character and time-honoured production methods.
Vermouth in Aperitivo and Cocktail Culture
Centuries of botanical experimentation laid the groundwork for vermouth's transformation from a health tonic to a key player in social drinking and cocktail culture. By the late 18th century, it had evolved from its medicinal roots into a staple of European café life and a vital ingredient in classic cocktails.
The Aperitivo Ritual in Turin
When Antonio Benedetto Carpano introduced his commercial vermouth in Turin in 1786, it quickly became a sensation across Italy. What was once a pharmacist's remedy turned into a cornerstone of the aperitivo ritual - a leisurely tradition meant to whet the appetite before dinner. This shift marked vermouth's transition into a social and culinary staple, paving the way for its inclusion in iconic cocktail recipes.
Vermouth in Classic Cocktails
By the late 19th century, bartenders were embracing vermouth's adaptability in cocktails. Early uses were simple yet elegant, such as serving it chilled over ice with a twist of lemon peel. Around the 1860s and 1870s, the Manhattan emerged, blending rye or bourbon with sweet vermouth and bitters. By the 1880s, it had become a favourite.
The Martini, another classic, evolved from earlier cocktail-making traditions. Contrary to modern interpretations, the original "dry martini" referred to using a drier style of vermouth rather than reducing its quantity. Then came the Negroni, reportedly created in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni requested a bartender at Caffè Casoni in Florence to strengthen his Americano by swapping soda water for gin. Its appeal lay in the harmonious balance of bitter notes and spirits.
In the 1880s and 1890s, American bartenders often leaned heavily on vermouth, using it in double the quantity of gin or whiskey in their cocktails. While vermouth's popularity waned somewhat after the mid-20th century, the recent resurgence of cocktail culture has brought this ingredient back into the spotlight.
The Etymology of Vermouth
The name "vermouth" has its roots in the German word "Wermut" (or "Wermuth"), which translates to wormwood - a bitter herb that gives the drink its characteristic flavour. Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) has been a central ingredient in aromatised wines for centuries, highlighting its historical significance. This linguistic origin laid the groundwork for Carpano's decision to incorporate the term into his iconic recipe.
In 1786, Carpano christened his creation "Wermut", a nod to the Duchy of Savoy's connections to Germany. However, the French pronunciation soon took hold: "The drink was originally named 'Wermut', after the German word for 'wormwood', but the French pronunciation 'vermouth' quickly caught on and became the name we still associate with this creation today".
This linguistic shift reflects the influence of French in the region of Savoy, which historically encompassed parts of modern-day Italy and France, with Turin as its capital. Over time, the German "Wermut" morphed into the French "vermout", eventually becoming the anglicised "vermouth" that we use today. By the mid-17th century, this term was already in use in England to describe the drink. The word "Wermut" also evokes notions of "absinthe" and "bitterness", capturing the herb's sharp, medicinal qualities.
Conclusion
Vermouth has a history that stretches back over 8,000 years, evolving from ancient medicinal wines into a beloved staple of modern cocktails. What began as herbal remedies and Neolithic infusions took a sophisticated turn in 1786 when Antonio Benedetto Carpano crafted the first commercial vermouth in Turin. By blending high-quality Moscato wine with over 30 botanicals, Carpano transformed a simple tonic into a fashionable aperitif that quickly gained favour with the royal court.
The 19th century saw the introduction of dry vermouth, which soon became a cornerstone of classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Martini. By the late 1800s, vermouth had cemented its place behind the bar, globally admired by bartenders and central to Turin's aperitivo tradition. While the mid-20th century brought a decline in its popularity, vermouth has enjoyed a resurgence since 2013, with artisanal producers reviving traditional methods and celebrating its botanical complexity.
Today, modern producers honour vermouth's rich heritage while reinterpreting it for contemporary tastes. Asterley Bros London, led by brothers Rob and Jim Berry, embodies this blend of tradition and innovation. Their handcrafted English Vermouth and Amaro pay homage to centuries-old techniques, offering a distinctly British take on aperitivo culture. By combining time-tested methods with a modern twist, Asterley Bros continues to carry forward vermouth's enduring legacy.
Whether you savour vermouth neat, enjoy it in a classic Negroni, or explore The Negroni Society's monthly subscription (just £14.50 for two expertly crafted Negronis), you're part of a tradition that links ancient herbalists to today's mixologists. For those curious to dive deeper, Asterley Bros' Vermouth Masterclasses provide a hands-on opportunity to explore the art of botanical blending and production techniques first pioneered by Carpano over two centuries ago.
FAQs
How is vermouth different from other fortified wines?
Vermouth distinguishes itself from other fortified wines through its infusion of botanicals, with wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) being the star ingredient. This particular herb imparts the signature bitter and aromatic notes that define vermouth's unique character. Unlike regular fortified wines, vermouth was specifically designed as an aperitif, with its origins dating back to 18th-century Turin, Italy.
What truly sets vermouth apart is the meticulous combination of herbs, spices, and plants used during its creation. This intricate blend has been refined over centuries, resulting in a rich flavour profile. It's this complexity that has cemented vermouth's place in aperitivo traditions and its role as a cornerstone in numerous classic cocktails.
How did vermouth go from a medicinal tonic to a beloved aperitif?
Vermouth originally emerged as a medicinal tonic, prized for its infusion of botanicals that were thought to offer various health benefits. By the late 1700s, it had become a favourite in Turin, Italy, where it was served in chic cafés as a pre-dinner aperitif, fitting perfectly into the lively social scene of the era.
Its role evolved further in the late 19th century, becoming a cornerstone of iconic cocktails like the Manhattan and Martini, which cemented its place in the world of mixology. Today, vermouth is appreciated for its versatility and elegance, whether sipped on its own or used to enhance classic cocktails.
How did the Kingdom of Savoy influence the creation of vermouth?
The Kingdom of Savoy was instrumental in shaping the history of vermouth. This aromatic fortified wine made its commercial debut in 1786 in Turin, the kingdom’s capital, thanks to Antonio Benedetto Carpano.
Turin’s status as a centre of culture and trade, along with the region’s long-standing tradition of enhancing wine with herbs and spices, created the ideal conditions for vermouth to thrive. Over the years, it became a key element of aperitivo culture, cherished for its distinctive mix of botanicals.