I’m writing this column with my family’s Christmas tree in the next room, reminding me of some reading I’ve done about indoor air quality when bringing a live, cut Christmas tree into one’s home. The aromas of the tree are dominated by the organic chemical ɑ-pinene, a mono-terpene which is also found in rosemary, eucalyptus and orange oil. Which in turn reminds me of Retsina, the classic Grecian and perhaps first aromatized wine, which traditionally utilized Aleppo pine resin to add aroma and a natural antioxidant to a white wine base.
Aromatized wines span a fairly large range of styles and intensity; many from well-known brands which feature unique formulations. Nonetheless they are often an afterthought for most drinkers—if not objects of downright aversion. Usually the “take” goes something like, “I don’t like martinis with vermouth…” which is usually related to poor storage and freshness of the vermouth. Few consider drinking the vermouth on its own as a pleasantly lower-proof option to stronger options. In this article I’ll explore some of the more well-known examples of aromatized wines, addressing how to use them—besides as dust-collectors in one’s bar.
For starters, I should explain what an aromatized wine is. It is a wine-based beverage which incorporates herbs or spices, often based on deep, local knowledge of healing herbs. They can be and usually are also sweetened and fortified, with either a wine-based brandy or neutral spirits (which may have also been used as the vehicle to extract aromas from the herbs or spices). The most common example is Vermouth, which, at least for European producers, must include wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). As you can see from the Latin name of the plant, this is also one of the key flavoring components of Absinthe. It is also named for Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt. Taxonomically related plants include mugwort (used to flavor at least one Japanese vermouth) and sagebrush.
Other examples of aromatized wine include Quinquinas, which are flavored/bittered with cinchona bark (Cinchona calisaya), the source of quinine which historically was used to treat malaria, and which defines the bitterness of tonic water. Taxonomically related plants include mugwort (used to flavor at least one Japanese vermouth) and sagebrush. Other examples include Quinquinas, which are flavored/bittered with cinchona bark (Cinchona calisaya), the source of quinine which historically was used to treat malaria, and which defines the bitterness of tonic water. Americanos, a unique style of aperitif wines, usually combines quinine with Gentian root (Gentiana lutea). Less involved production makes up wine-based beverages enjoyed at at the change of seasons: mid-Winter’s German Gluhwein and Swedish Glögg, Springtime’s Maiwein, and Summer’s Sangria.
Vermouth
(Note: Photo credits at bottom, Ed.)
Vermouth is a major beverage in its own right rather than a mere mixing agent, and has had entire books written about it. It is easily the best known and most widely consumed aromatized wine in the modern era, and is defined by the use of the bittering herb wormwood, pictured to the right. The name Vermouth is attributed to the Anglicization of the word Vermut, the name for wormwood in German. It was originally made as a medicinal drink, and incorporated a large range of other flavoring components which can include (per distillery Marolo): mugwort, yarrow, chamomile, hyssop, savory, marjoram, sage, clary, elderberry and thyme. But non-European herbs/spices from tropical climates may also be mixed in: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, vanilla and saffron. By the late 1700s these flavored wines were drunk as aperitifs by the French and Italians, and began to be used in cocktails near the end of the 1800s.
Modern commercial vermouth dates to 1786 and was credited to Antonio Carpano, whose name still adorns bottles. It is produced in different colors including White, Amber, Rose and Red, and with differing levels of sweetness defined by the European Community Government: extra secco/extra dry with less than 30 g/l of sugar; secco/dry as up to 50 g/l, and sweet, with at least 130 grams per liter of sugar. The EU established rules for its production stating it must be flavored with at least one plant from the Artemesia family of plants, must contain 75% wine and have an alcoholic strength between 14.5 and 22%. The US defines Vermouth as a wine-based aperitif fortified with a spirit with a minimum of 15% alcohol, further stating that it “possess[es] the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to aperitif wine.” Note that the US rules do not require wormwood to be included as an ingredient.
There are a number of regional styles famous on their own terms and widely named in cocktails and cookery. The most common might be historically called “Italian” which were most famously made in Turin and now have a protected geographical indication as Vermouth di Torino. These relate to today’s “Sweet” vermouths. “French” vermouths were first made in the Chamberay region of Savoie, and offer more floral styles that equate to today’s “Dry” and “Blanc” (sweet & white) styles. Reus, a region in southern Tarragona (within Catalonia, Spain) is also famous for sweet vermouth, though it often has a lower sugar content and a more wormwood focused flavor profile than Italian sweet vermouths. While the name Reus is not well known these days, in the 19th and early 20th century the phrase, “Reus, París, i Londres” referred to these cities in the same breath, as the price for aguardiente (raw distilled spirit) was set in them.
Sherry country in the south of Spain has had a renaissance of Vermouth production in the last 10-15 years. Producers there traditionally make a sweet style based on a Cream Sherry (itself a blend of Oloroso and Pedro Ximeniz) and have expanded into dry and sweet white styles as well. Finally, Marseilles-style vermouths often shows a touch of nutty-oxidation, and have traditionally been used for cooking, deglazing pans for sauces, and as additions to cream sauces.
Famous brands (and specifically, more popular formulations) within each type include:
Italian (40 members of the Producer’s Consortium):
Martini & Rossi, Cocchi (Vermouth di Torino), Cinzano, Carpano (Antica Formula, incorporating saffron and vanilla), Contratto (Bianco), Poli (Veneto White based on Vespolina, and Red based on Merlot)
French
Dolin (Dry, Sweet or Blanc), Comoz (Blanc)
Reus (known almost exclusively for sweet/red)
Miro, Yzaguirre, De Muller/Iris
Sherry-based
Lustau (Red Label/Sweet), Gonzalez Byass/La Copa (Dry)
Marseilles
Noilly Prat (Original Dry and Extra Dry)
Note finally that the differentiation between “Italian” and “French” vermouth has evaporated with houses on both sides of the border currently producing dry, blanc/bianco, ambre, rosé and red/sweet styles.
Quinquina/Chinato/China-China
(PHOTO: Cinchona officinalis, Rubiaceae, Quinine Bark; credit at bottom)
This group of aromatized wines is made in various areas from Bordeaux to Barolo and in between. The common factor is the use of cinchona bark (Cinchona Calisaya) which is related to the coffee plant and is called “China” in Italian. The bark comes from an evergreen tree that is native to Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, and was later grown in much of the East Indies. It is said to be named by Linneaus after the Countess of Chinchon (Peru), after she was cured of malaria using the herb. Its use as a medicine against malarial fever was well known in Europe as early as the 1630s. This is the same botanical used to flavor tonic water.
Quinquinas are made using a range of techniques and base wines. I’ll explain the production and history of some of the more famous ones below.
Dubonnet was created in 1846 by Sir Joseph Dubonnet, a Parisian wine merchant and chemist. It recently had a viral moment, as it was a daily drink of the recently deceased Queen Elizabeth of England. It was originally made in France using a mistelle base. Mistelle is a blend of wine grape juice and spirits, in which the subsequent alcoholic strength prevents fermentation, yielding a sweeter flavor as opposed to the drier, fermented wines used in the production of Vermouth. The product currently available in the USA is made in Bardstown Kentucky (of Bourbon fame) from a base of RubyRed, Ruby Cabernet and Muscat of Alexandria grapes, along with black currant, tea, cinchona, cane sugar and other herbs.
Lillet, originally Kina Lillet, is a family of aperitif wines from the Bordeaux region of France. The original was a white based on Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, fortified and scented with citrus peels along with other undisclosed botanicals. In 1962 Lillet Rouge was introduced, based on local Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the Rosé version added to the stable in 2011. In 1985 the original Kina Lillet was reformulated reducing both the amount of quinquina and the level of sugar and rebranded simply Lillet, with the addition of Blanc to differentiate it from the mostly red aperitifs on the market. It should be noted that while this is a famous brand, it is nearly identical in production to other non-aromatized aperitif wines from the region such as Pineau de Charentes and Floc de Gascogne, from Cognac and Armagnac areas respectively. Cocchi Americano is often offered as an alternative, more closely related to the original formulation, though I would recommend Tempus Fugit’s Kina l’Aero d’Or, a Cortese-based version that is more bracing and drier, which is scented with cinchona, orange peel, and wormwood. Another interesting Quinquina Blanc is L. N. Mattei’s Cap Corse Blanc, made of Vermentinu and Muscat a Petit Grains, as well as peels of Cedrat, a thick, peeled ancestor of lemon.
Byrrh is from the Roussillon in French Catalonia, and is based on a blend of fortified wine and mistelle, including Muscat grapes, coffee, bitter orange peels, and cacao. Created in 1866 by two brothers who were travelling salesmen, selling cloth, haberdashery and wine, it was originally called simply “Hygienic Tonic Wine with Cinchona.” By 1873 local pharmacists sued the brothers for unfair competition and forced the removal of the term cinchona (reserved for pharmacists) from their label. In the 1890s the winery was connected to a rail line through a depot designed by Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame), leading to sales of 30 million liters in 1910. The winery has the largest wooden wine tank in the world with a capacity of 1,000,200 liters, which measures more than 30 feet tall and nearly 40 feet in diameter, and was built around 1950.
Barolo Chinato is made utilizing a base of the famous Nebbiolo-based wine. Italian law disallows wineries to distill their own spirits, so Chinatos were often illicitly made only for family use. The process of production is described by G.D. Vajra winery in the following manner: “The “chinatura” is the addition of infusions of about thirty herbs, rinds and roots of plants, including China (Cinchona Calisaya), hence the name.” This unique product is different from nearly all other Italian aromatized wines, in that the base is a red wine as opposed to white, and must be made to the standard for Barolo DOCG wine. In addition to the cinchona, aromatics can include bitter orange, rhubarb, gentian, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, gentian and cardamom among others. Many producers of Barolo wine also make small amounts of Chinato, if you are having trouble finding one locally, try checking winesearcher.com to find what is available in your area.
Americano
The Americano is defined by its use of the dried roots of gentian of which there are more than 40 varieties. The most often used is Great Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea). Gentian is also used to flavor a wide range of beverages including the bitter soda Moxie, Suze and Salers liqueurs, as well as playing a key role in the flavors of Aperol, Underberg, and both Angostura and Peychaud’s cocktail bitters. These tend to be more bitter than most Quinquinas. Confusingly, there is also a drink called an Americano, which is a blend of Campari, Sweet Vermouth and soda water.
Cocchi Americano is the most widely known of this type of aromatized wine, and was created in 1891 by Giulio Cocchi. Per their website:
“The name ‘Americano’ is both due to the alcohol made bitter (‘amaricato’) by the addition of herbs and spices and to the American habit of drinking vermouth with ice and soda. The wine is from Asti, so we can infer a Moscato base wine, and the list of botanicals includes: gentian flowers and leaves, Artemisia (wormwood/Vermouth), cinchona (quinquinas…), bitter orange peel, elderflower and others.”
Rinomato Americano Bianco is also from Asti and includes bergamot, rhubarb, Roman wormwood, mandarin, angostura bark, chiretta , gentian, lavender, cinchona bark, vanilla, and cascarilla bark in its botanical mix. It is more brightly citric than Cocchi.
Bonal Gentiane-Quina was created in 1865 by Hyppolite Bonal, an orphan taken in by the Grande Chartreuse Monastery who later studied medicine and pharmacology. It has since been bought and is produced by Dolin of Camberary Vermouth, as mentioned above. Production utilizes the native plants of the Grande Chartreuse mountains, Yellow Gentian, and cinchona. It is described as smelling of freshly cut hay, peat, balsamic, and menthol, followed by sweet and spicy notes that evoke candied chestnuts.
Mulled and Infused Wines
These are the styles that you can make yourself at home. Winter is perfect for mulled wines, utilizing gentle heating and the addition of a flavorful spirit like brandy or Aquavit as well as some citrus (usually orange zest) and brown spice (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise). One can sometimes find pre-mixed German Gluhwein, while Swedish Glögg is usually homemade.
Springtime’s Maiwein is best known in Germany and is usually served around May Day. It infuses fruity white wine with the herb Sweet Woodruff Asperula odorata (Galium odoratum) and can include fresh strawberries. Summer’s Sangria can be made in any color while red has the longest tradition. It usually incorporates fresh citrus, sugar, and spices as well as an array of fruit ranging from crisp diced apples to berries, peaches or even pineapple. Other Spanish wine-based drinks include Tinto de Verano, an equal-parts mix of simple red wine and Casera, a lemon-flavored soda, as well as Kalimotxo, an equal-parts mix of simple red wine and Cola.
I feel compelled to include a special section about Antica Erboristeria dott. Cappelletti. Founded in 1909, they are master herbalists and have been producing herbal “tonics” for more than 100 years. They currently offer a large range of wine-based products. Vino Aperitivo is a wine-based red bitter that is colored with natural carmine, which can sub in for Campari or other red bitters, and is less sweet than most. Pasubio, a Vino Amaro, is scented with the dried buds and young cones of Mugo Pine as well as wild blueberries. Elisir Novasalus, which is based on dry Marsala wine combined with a tree sap from Sicily and more than 30 plants including Burdock, Dandelion, Aloe Vera, Gentian, Frangula, and Chincona.
One final oddball: Cardamaro. The main aromatic plant used is Cardoon, a relative of the artichoke that is grown for its fleshy stems, which tastes like a cross between artichoke and celery. Other aromatics include China, Rhubarb, Gentian, Aloe, Coriander, Lemon Bark and Vanilla. The cardoon is grown around Nizza Monferrato in Italy’s Piedmont region, which is also the center of the newly established (2014) Nizza DOCG for Barbera wines.
How to Enjoy Aromatized Wines
First, I would recommend enjoying the inherent complexity of these drinks in the simplest manner, chilled on the rocks with a citrus twist or skewer of olives in the Catalan tradition. Many of these products took decades to perfect and they are perfectly capable of standing on their own. A side of savory bites from potato chips, anchovies, green olives, and blue cheeses with the sweeter, oxidized versions all work well for the Aperitif Hour. They also pair well with soda or tonic as long drinks, diluting their strength and making them bitter-sweet drinks that stimulate the appetite.
Martini / Manhattan / Maritinez / Rob Roy:
These are perhaps the most famous drinks incorporating Vermouth. A Martini uses a Gin base and a dry Vermouth as a modifier, often with an addition of a fresh citrus twist or citrus bitter. A Manhattan uses Rye Whiskey (or Bourbon) and sweet Vermouth as a modifier, usually garnished with a slice or orange and a cocktail cherry. The Martinez pre-dates the Martini and uses a malty, grain-based Genever with sweet Vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur and orange bitters. A Rob Roy is a base of Scotch Whiskey with sweet vermouth. Typical proportions are 2 parts spirit to 1 of Vermouth. Mixing a 50/50 blend of each base spirit and vermouth modifier makes this a “perfect” version of the cocktail. A “reverse version” inverts the proportions of vermouth and spirit, making the vermouth the dominant part of the drink.
Presidente:
A blend of Blanco or Gold Rum with Bianco vermouth. Sometimes a splash of Grenadine or Curaço (orange liqueur) is included as well.
Negroni / Boulevardier / Old Pal:
This is made up of equal thirds of Gin, Sweet Vermouth and Campari. Variations include the White Negroni with a Gin base joined by Lillet and Suze, a gentian flavored liqueur; Negroni Sbagliato with equal parts Prosecco, Vermouth and Campari; Violet Negroni with Gin, Byrrh and Salers Gentian liqueur. A Boulevardier subs in a Bourbon for the Gin with equal parts sweet vermouth and Campari. An Old Pal uses Rye whiskey in place of the Bourbon. Of course, any of these could use Cappelletti Aperitivo as a sub for Campari and a Vino Amaro or Quinquina as a sub for the sweet vermouth.
Milano-Torino or Mi-To:
This is simply a Negroni, minus the Gin, composed of equal parts sweet Vermouth (from Torino) and Campari (from Milan).
Americano:
Made from a blend of Campari (from Milan) and Sweet Vermouth (from Torino) with a dose of club soda and a slice of citrus, usually lemon.
Spritz:
Nearly any of the aromatized wines, cut with sparkling water of sparkling wine from Prosecco, to Cava to Champagne. Typical proportions are 1 aromatized wine to 2 or 3 parts sparkling liquid.
Bamboo/Adonis Cocktail:
The Bamboo is either Manzanilla or Fino Sherry and Dry Vermouth, and proportions vary from 1:1 to 2:1. An Adonis is the same sherry with Sweet Vermouth, mixed in similar proportions.
Vesper Maritini:
A unique combination, often referred to in James Bond books and films, made up of 3 parts Gin (Gordon’s brand), 1 part Vodka, 0.5 part Kina Lillet (though Cocchi Americano or Kina l’Apero d’Or offer a more bracing and appetizing choice, in my opinion).
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Photo Credits: For the three embedded images, from top to bottom:
1) Artemisia absinthium L. by MichaelSt used with permission via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International; see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
2) Cinchona officinalis, Rubiaceae, Quinine Bark; photo credit to H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
3) I, B.navez, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons