The Bar Journal

Part 2

We can claim that the introduction of alcohol (fortified) into the wine in order to preserve it was done by Arnaud de Villeneuve, adding at half stage of fermentation in order to preserve some of the natural sugar.

By the middle age, the port of Genoa (north Italy) became a real market of spices, herb and exotic ingredient from all the part of the world, helped to enlarge medic, gastronomic and drinking knowledge; consequently the recipes for aromatic wine became more and more complex.

Piemont (northen itlaly) is land of aromatic alpine plants (Alps are the border between north Italy and south France), key ingredients in the vermouth recipes, and with a cool clime to grown light, crispy and acidic wine as base and where naturally grown “Artemisia Absithium”

In 1492 the discover of America brought new ingredients into to the recipes, quassia wood(Jamaica) and cascarilla bark(Bahamas) are still commonly part of the recipes.

Signor don Alessio, a Italian merchant-alchemist; he mention a recipe of vinum absintheatum with new ingredient from Africa, Middle East and Orient, adapted with local alpine herbs.

He took inspiration from wormwood infused wine that he enjoyed in Bavaria, place of his trade.

Turin was the capital of kingdom of Savoy and capital of vermouth; surely many families was developing their own recipes.

The first commercial brand registered trade mark of Italian vermouth was born in 1786 in a small apothecary under the porticos in Piazza della Fiera (now Piazza Castello) where Antonio Benetto Carpano, from Biella, began as assistant under Signor Marendazzo expertise.

He had the idea to make vermouth from moscato grape, rather than low quality wine, and enhance it with ingredients mixed by local monks to the sweet wine and using alcohol to fortified and preserves the final recipe.

Because of the passion of Goethe’s poetry, he named his recipe with the name of “Wermut” after the German word for wormwood.

It became rapidly popular amongst ladies and high society; it went so far that the Duke of Savoy Amedeo III after a taste decided to suspend the production of the court’s liquor rosolio (rose and spice liquor) and order Carpano vermouth instead.

The French already producing this style of wine for only personal use in the courts. Having inspiration by the Germans also, so the word “wermut” became “vermouth” and stayed till nowadays, French was the main speaking language at the time in Duke of Savoia.

Joseph Noilly  liked his wine transported in barrel on board of ship under touch of natural agent, wind, salty water wind; in 1813  he tried to reproduce this effect developing a recipe for French vermouth.

In 1925 his son Louis and his English brother in law Claudius Prat took the first step to reproduce and commercialise Joseph recipes.

The first step was to find the perfect location close to the sea and Marseillan on south coast was just perfect.

The wine get a round flavour, strength the body and colour resting in oak in cool cellar. Takeing the barrel outside the wine is under the influence of salty water.

Then fortified with alcohol and the rest of the herbal plant, wormwood of course camomile and bitter orange are few of the main.

The result was a dry aromatic wine.

At this point started the distinction of Italian Vermouth (sweet) and French Vermouth (dry) as you would find in old cocktail recipes.

1806 – the first written definition of the word COCKTAIL.

In the Balance and Columbian Repository, New York: “Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters….”

That ‘s what vermouth is.

Although mixed beverages with the same structure were already existing as the Flips, Sling and Toddies with no an official definition.

Other families follow those example and stared to commercialise vermouth in Italy were (Carpano) Cinzano, Cora, Cocchi, Gancia, Toso, Riccadonna, Martini & Rossi.

In France  Dolin and Lillet, Byrrh.

Martini&Rossi conquest the world market; Alessandro Martini after learned the art of making liquor and business skills, founded in 1840 Martini-Sola & Cia. company, few year after 1843 Luigi Rossi, a very skilled wine maker, joined the Martini-Rossi company and the set up a big businnes plant in Pessione.

Strategic location because close to the rail service going to Genova and travel abroad.

In 1860 CIRCA the Italian vermouth Martini&Rossi appreciated in the US and took a relevant position in the all the cocktails bar and also spread the world with an innovative and unique Italian drink.

Salute !