Vermouth, Amari and Bitters Flashcards
What is an aromatized wine?
Wine based beverages that are flavored with aromatic botanicals.
What were some of the oldest discovered remains of fermented beverages and where were the found?
Aromatized wines, in China (1250 BCE) ad Iran (5400 BCE)
What was Hippocras?
A wine infused with wormwood (artemisia absinthium) highly sought after in ancient Greco-Roman cultures.
What was Hippocras consumed as?
A stimulant and restorative, deemed to have healthy and invigorating tonic effects.
When are modern aromatized wines usually consumed?
As an aperitif or digestif.
What is the largest subcategory of aromatized wines?
Vermouth
What other category of beverage could aromatized wines technically be classified as?
Fortified wines
What are the main categories of aromatized wines?
Vermouth
Vini amari/chinati
Quinquina
Americano
What is Vermouth?
Aromatized, fortified wines typically flavored with artemisia and other approved natural herbs, fruit, spices, or flavorings.
What is Vini Amari/Chinati?
Aromatized, unfortified wines produced using a variety of bitter and herbal flavorings.
What is Quinquina?
Aromatized, fortified wines flavored with cinchona bark (also known as quina, kina, or china - the Italian pronunciation)
What is an Americano aromatized wine?
An aromatized, fortified wine flavored with Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and gentian.
What are the requirements for aromatized wines in the EU?
Must have a wine base of 75% before enhancement.
May have added grape must
Flavored with natural flavorings
Generally sweetened, possibly colored with caramel
Have an alcoholic strength of 14.5-22%
What are the requirements for extra-dry aromatized wines in the EU?
A minimum alcohol strength of 15%
Sugar content of less than 30 g/L
What are the requirements for dry aromatized wines in the EU?
A minimum ABV of 16%
Sugar content less than 50 g/L
What are the requirements for semi-dry aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content between 50 and 90 g/L
What are the requirements for semi-sweet aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content between 90 and 130 g/L
What are the requirements for sweet aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content more than 130 g/L
What are the EU requirements for Sangria?
A red-wine-based beverage with citrus fruit and spices, sometimes with brandy, served over ice. As of 2014 must be product of Spain or Portugal. If not, must be labeled with place of origin, followed by Sangria (eg German Sangria).
What is Clarea?
A white-wine-based beverage made with honey and spices. Dates to the 1500s, originally made in Naples.
What is Zurracapote?
Also called Zurra. Similar to sangria, a Spanish red-wine-based beverage made with fruit macerated with sugar, cinnamon, fruit juice, and sometimes brandy.
What is Kalte Ente?
A sweetened drink made with white wine, sparkling wine and lemon, traditionally made in Germany with Riesling and sparkling wine.
What is Maiwein?
An aromatized wine drink flawored with Asperula odorata (sweet woodruff). Other ingredients may include strawberries, brandy, sparkling wine, and sugar. Traditionally served on May Day in Germany (and throughout the spring).
What is Cremovo?
An egg based aromatized wine made with marsala. Produced exclusively in Sicily, where it may also be called Marsala all’Uovo.
What are aromatized wines and vermouth classified as in the US?
Aperitif wines.
What is the definition of Vermouth in the EU?
A fortified, aromatized wine containing a minimum of 75% wine before enhancement. Must be flavored with Artemisia.
What is the maximum ABV for Vermouth in the EU?
22% ABV
What is the minimum ABV for vermouth in the EU?
Varies by sweetness -
Extra-dry (Sugar less than 30g/L) - 15%
Dry (sugar less than 50 g/L) - 16%
Semi-dry/Sweet (Sugar >50 g/L) - 14.5%
What are the requirements for aperitif wines in the US?
Must be based on grape wine.
Fortified with brandy/other alcohol to minimum 15% ABV
Flavored with herbs and other natural aromatic flavoring materials
Produced without addition of juice, concentrated juices, sugar, and/or caramel colorings.
What are some classic cocktails that include vermouth?
Martini
Manhattan
Americano
Negroni
What type of wine base are most vermouths made from?
White wine
What is Chambéry?
A region in the French alps with a long history of vermouth production. The home of House of Dolin and Distillerie des Alpes
What is the House of Dolin?
One of the original producers of Chambéry vermouth. Produces several styles of vermouth.
What is Dolin Blanc?
A sweet, white vermouth.
What is C. Comoz Blanc?
A sweet white vermouth produced by Dolin, using a recipe from 1856.
What is Chambéryzette?
A beverage local to Chambéry that combines Dolin dry vermouth with the juice of wild strawberries.
What is Distillerie des Alpes?
A vermouth producer in Chambéry making vermouth based on formulas passed down from Philibert Routin, an herbalist from the late 1800s.
What wines are Routin vermouths based on?
Wines from Savoie.
What is Routin Blanc?
A vermouth infused with a range of flavorings including vanilla, thyme, and elderflowers.
What is Routin Dry?
A vermouth produced using 17 botanicals including bitter almonds, rosemary, and rose petals.
What is Noilly Prat?
The main producer of Marseilles style vermouth.
What is the Marseilles style of vermouth?
A vermouth made from barrel-aged base wines resulting in oxidative, lightly wooded, and marsala-like properties.
When did Noilly Prat first begin large-scale production of vermouth?
The 1850s.
Where is Noilly Prat currently produced?
Marseillan, France - 130 miles from Marseilles.
What are some styles of vermouth produced by Noilly Prat?
Original Dry White Vermouth
Extra Dry White Vermouth
Rouge Vermouth
Ambre Vermouth
How is Noilly Prat Original White Vermouth produced?
Using local white wine barrel-aged for up to 12 months.
What are some of the flavorings in Noilly Prat white vermouth?
Chamomile
Gentian
Nutmeg
Bitter orange peel
What are some of the flavorings in Noilly Prat sweet red vermouth?
Saffron
Cloves
Cocoa beans
What are some of the flavorings for Noilly Prat ambre vermouth?
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Lavender.
What is Torino-style vermouth?
Often called Italian vermouth, red vermouth, or sweet vermouth, has floral notes and spice aromas above its herbal character.
What is Carpano?
A notable producer of Torino-style vermouth, founded in 1786. Pioneered the sweeter, darker style of Torino vermouth.
What is Carpano Antica Formula?
A high end red vermouth produced by Carpano. Has a heavy addition of vanilla.
What is vermouth alla vaniglia?
Carpano Antica Formula - a designation for its heavy addition of natural vanilla.
Who currently owns Carpano?
The Milanese firm Branca.
What is Carpano Punt e Mes?
A drink that combines vermouth and bitters. Sometimes referred to as vermouth chinato or vermouth amari.
What is Vermouth Chinato?
Another name for Punt e Mes.
What is Vermouth amari?
Another name for Punt e Mes.
Who was Giulio Cocchi?
One of the earliest producers of Torino style vermouth. Began making vermouth in 1891 in Asti.
What is Giulio Cocchi Spumanti Srl?
A distillery/winery that makes a wide range of products including grappa, sparkling wine, and amari, as well as vermouth.
What is Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino?
A sweet, amber hued vermouth produced from Cocchi’s original, 120 year old recipe.
What is Boissiere?
A producer of vermouth located in Torino that also produces Chambéry style vermouth.
What is Vermouth di Torino?
A specific product with GI status in the EU. It must be produced within the region of Piedmont using a base of Italian wine and must be fortified with the addition of spirits. The main flavoring must be artemisia and the ABV must be between 16-22%.
What is Vermouth di Torino Superiore GI?
A type of Vermouth di Torino with a minimum of 17% ABV
What is Trieste Vermouth?
The home of Stock Spirits Group, that makes Torino style vermouths in Trieste.
How is Spanish vermouth usually consumed?
On the rocks with a splash of soda water, garnished with perhaps a wedge of orange or green olives.
How does Spanish vermouth compare to Italian vermouth?
Spanish vermouth tends to be somewhat lighter and less bitter than Italian.
What is Perucchi?
A Spanish vermouth producer in Catalonia with a range of products including re white, extra dry, reservas, and special editions. Based on Spanish wines from Emporda, Valencia, and La Mancha.
What are Perucchi vermouths noted for?
Characteristic aromas of chamomile, ginger, lemon verbena, cinnamon, mint, and orange blossom.
What is Yzaguirre?
A vermouth producer in Tarragona in Catalonia Spain. Produces a range of vermouths. Some are oak-aged with a unique balsamic character.
How is Yzaguirre vermouth produced?
As a “mistela” vermouth. Some products are made using a base of unfermented grape must fortified with spirits to arrest fermentation.
What is Vermouth Miró?
A Catalonian producer of a range of vermouths.
What is Casa Mariol?
A Spanish vermouth made by the Vaquer family in Tarragona (Catalonia) Spain for over 100 years.
What is Casa Mariol Vermut Negre?
A black vermouth made using a base of local white wine made from Macabeo (AKA Viura) grapes and fortified with grape neutral spirits. Over 160 botanicals are used as flavorings. It spends up to six months in a solera-style oak-aging system.
What is Primitivo Quiles?
A Spanish Vermouth from the Alicante area of Spain. It produces “alpine style” vermouths using red wine based on Mouvedre. Proprietary formula contains cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg.