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titleVERMOUTH 101

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caption@P@ 1 Thanks to a new wave of Australian producers, vermouth is returning to drinks cabinets as the sexy sidepiece in a Martini or simply to enjoy solo, writes SAMANTHA PAYNE. Vermouth 101 A cross the country, a vermouth revolution is stirring (or shaking). Initially, the aromatised fortified wine was introduced to the world as the “tonic for what ails you”. Greek philosopher Hippocrates is credited as the first to macerate botanicals such as wormwood into wine back in 400 BC and both Italy and France have claims on the original – but it’s the Catalans who made it their own, serving the apéritif chilled with a spritz of soda and a skewered olive. More recently, Aussies have been sloshing vermouths in their glasses since the 1970s (mainly in highballs or very wet Martinis), coming into fashion as a less potent alternative to other fortified wines of that era. But vermouth doesn’t exist in a vortex; the craft movement that transformed Australian beer and spirits now has the 1970s throwback in its grips. So, where Australians have spent the past 20 years abandoning overly processed large brands (such as Cinzano), we are now developing a taste for premium local apéritifs made with native botanicals. Today, there are more than 20 Australian vermouth producers compared to 10 years ago, when there were just two; Madenii and Regal Rogue, launched in 2011 and 2012 respectively. And while tradition dictates just two categories of vermouth (sweet red or dry white), the Australians are playing fast and loose with the rules. Embla chef and vermouth maker Dave Verheul from Saison Apéritifs explains: “We’re lucky here in Australia, we have a new world kind of freedom when it comes to breaking from tradition and that is evident when it comes to food and vermouth.” And while a sole vermouth bar might have been ahead of its time (RIP Sydney’s Banksii), it’s clear our love of vermouth as an apéritif or blended into a cocktail continues to grow. AMBER AND ROS

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titleVERMOUTH 101

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titleVERMOUTH 101

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caption@P@ 1 DRY WHITE Dry White (aka the Martini one) is liberally splashed in a chilled glass for a “wet” version of the classic cocktail or just waived over the top for a “dry” martini. The new trend of serving Martinis on the rocks means these dry white vermouths have a chance to shine with their lemon balm and sage notes. In this country, Maidenii is the OG for vermouth production and still sets the benchmark. Its dry vermouth is truly one for the Martini lovers. It is viognier based with generous lashings of wormwood, strawberry gum and wattleseed and no bar is complete without it. All it requires is your choice of chilled gin and a twist of lemon. Try: Maidenii Dry Vermouth, Vic, $45, maidenii.com.au SWEET AND SEMI-SWEET WHITE This is another new vermouth category and speaks to lovers of a spritz or a lower-alcohol highball. A sweet white vermouth needs no additional spirits to enhance its flavour. Just add ice, top with sparkling water and freshly cut herbs from the garden. At Saison Apéritifs, moscato is the base for all of Dave Verheul’s sweet white vermouths. “I want the base wine to have floral complexity, to be sunny and warm, and to have a high residual sugar so that it doesn’t require a lot of sweetening, if any.” The choice is a natural fit for its 2023 Summer Flowers release, which blends the wine with wild-picked and biodynamically farmed marigold, rose geranium, elderflower, and chamomile to enhance the floral aromatics of the moscato. Summer Flowers and other sweet white vermouths are best served solo over ice or in an Americano with a splash of soda, bitter orange liqueur, and a large orange wedge. Try: 2023 Saison Apéritifs Summer Flowers, Vic, $54, blackheartsandsparrows.com.au RED (OR ROSSO) Made with a red wine base, red vermouths are known for their more robust flavours (courtesy of the red wine). This style once erred on the sweeter side but now makers are exploring the merits of subtle savoury note