October 12, 2021

The many ways to enjoy vermouth

Article by:
Fiona Beckett

The fact that I haven’t been in bars much over the past 18 months perhaps goes some way to explain why British vermouth was not on my radar, but now that I’ve started to notice quite how many there are out there, I’m amazed. Partly, I’m guessing, it’s a spin-off from the boom in home cocktail-making during lockdown, but it’s an obvious diversification for wineries such as Bolney (below) that can use their own wine as the base.

Vermouth, for those who are new to it, is an ancient drink of fortified wine that, like gin, is aromatised with various herbs and spices. The name derives from wormwood, which is also included in the mix, though not in any specific quantify, with the result that many modern vermouths exhibit a mere trace of its trademark bitter character (other botanicals might include artichoke, gentian, cloves, cassia and citrus peel). Read full food and drink article here.

Fiona Beckett Fiona Beckett is the Guardian's wine writer. She is also a cookery writer and a contributing editor to Decanter and Fork magazines

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