Most folks know vermouth more as something to put in a mixed drink than something to sit and sip. I tried sipping a red vermouth, and enjoyed it very much.
Vermouth is a fortified wine, usually infused with brandy, and usually running about the same sort of alcohol number as Port. The Ponti I sipped is 16% abv. Vermouth can be dry – white vermouth is dry, and it's sometimes called French vermouth – or sweet. Red, or rosso, is sometimes called Italian vermouth.
Spices and herbs are the big ingredients that give vermouth its unusual and lively character. Wormwood – the stuff of absinthe – is one of the leading herbs in vermouth.
I sipped it straight up, on the rocks and chilled. The iced version got diluted quickly and straight up neat it seemed a little brash. Chilled is definitely my choice for vermouth. The Italian rosso vermouth I tried is a sweet vermouth about which I can find almost nothing online. That's usually not a good sign, but in this case the proof is in the tasting. It comes from Turin, in the Piedmont region.
The color of the Ponti vermouth is a dark, dull red, almost nut brown. The tinge around the edges is a whiskey brown color. The nose is a delight: burnt caramel raisins is an aroma I'd like to smell everyday. On the palate, a very familiar taste appears, one I had a bit of trouble identifying. It's reminiscent of Blackjack gum, something I may not have had since childhood. Clove and cinnamon mingle with charred candy flavors and coffee. The finish reminds me of a marshmallow burnt over a campfire. There is a lot of sweetness here, but the spice profile puts enough of a bitter spin on it that it does not seem overly sugary.
In Europe – particularly Spain – vermouth is customarily sipped straight up, especially before dinner. I'm told that many bars have it on tap. I like it this way, although the intensity of the flavors does become a little burdensome if I drink much more than half my usual wine serving.
Vermouth is a fortified wine, usually infused with brandy, and usually running about the same sort of alcohol number as Port. The Ponti I sipped is 16% abv. Vermouth can be dry – white vermouth is dry, and it's sometimes called French vermouth – or sweet. Red, or rosso, is sometimes called Italian vermouth.
Spices and herbs are the big ingredients that give vermouth its unusual and lively character. Wormwood – the stuff of absinthe – is one of the leading herbs in vermouth.
I sipped it straight up, on the rocks and chilled. The iced version got diluted quickly and straight up neat it seemed a little brash. Chilled is definitely my choice for vermouth. The Italian rosso vermouth I tried is a sweet vermouth about which I can find almost nothing online. That's usually not a good sign, but in this case the proof is in the tasting. It comes from Turin, in the Piedmont region.
The color of the Ponti vermouth is a dark, dull red, almost nut brown. The tinge around the edges is a whiskey brown color. The nose is a delight: burnt caramel raisins is an aroma I'd like to smell everyday. On the palate, a very familiar taste appears, one I had a bit of trouble identifying. It's reminiscent of Blackjack gum, something I may not have had since childhood. Clove and cinnamon mingle with charred candy flavors and coffee. The finish reminds me of a marshmallow burnt over a campfire. There is a lot of sweetness here, but the spice profile puts enough of a bitter spin on it that it does not seem overly sugary.
In Europe – particularly Spain – vermouth is customarily sipped straight up, especially before dinner. I'm told that many bars have it on tap. I like it this way, although the intensity of the flavors does become a little burdensome if I drink much more than half my usual wine serving.
I think the flavor note you're having trouble putting your finger on is rosemary.
ReplyDeleteIt may well be. Thanks!
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