Not to vermouth replacement confused with Wermuth. Historically, there have been two main types of vermouth: sweet and dry. Vermouth is produced by starting with a base of neutral grape wine or unfermented wine must.

Italian and French companies produce most of the vermouth consumed throughout the world. The extra ingredients were added to wine to make it a medicinal drink. It was commonly used in Hungary at least since the 15th century with different species of artemisia plants like mugwort or wormwood and other spices like mustard seeds, horseradish, elfdock, etc. The name “vermouth” is the French pronunciation of the German word Wermut for wormwood that has been used as an ingredient in the drink over its history. Fortified wines containing wormwood as a principal ingredient existed in Germany around the 16th century.

At about this time, an Italian merchant named D’Alessio began producing a similar product in Piedmont as a “wormwood wine”. Over time, two distinct versions of vermouth became established, one pale, dry, and bitter, and the other red and sweeter. Merchant Antonio Benedetto Carpano introduced the first sweet vermouth in 1786 in Turin, Italy. The drink reportedly quickly became popular with the royal court of Turin.

The use of vermouth as a medicinal liquor waned by the end of the 18th century, but its use as an apéritif increased in Italy and France. By the late 19th century, vermouth was being used in cocktails. The popularity of vermouth in the United States and Great Britain declined after the mid-20th century but was still used in those countries in many classic cocktails such as the Manhattan, albeit in smaller amounts. In the years since 2013, there has been renewed interest in vermouth in the US. Artisanal makers have created new brands of vermouth which do not seek to imitate European styles, and vermouth has been a fast-growing category within the wine trade. Dry vermouths usually are lighter in the body than sweet vermouths.

In addition to pale and red vermouths, there exist golden and rosé versions, but these are not as internationally popular. The region of Chambéry in France has received an appellation d’origine contrôlée for its vermouths, which is where the blanc style originated and also includes a strawberry-flavored version called Chambéryzette. Dubonnet are fortified wines similar to vermouth, but are usually considered separate products. The term “Italian vermouth” is often used to refer to red-colored, mildly bitter, and slightly sweet vermouths.

These types of vermouths have also been called “rosso. The label “French vermouth” generally refers to pale, dry vermouths that are more bitter than sweet vermouths. According to Stuart Walton and Brian Glover, vermouth “is as far removed from the natural produce of the vine as it is possible for a fortified wine to get. Vermouth is a common cocktail ingredient, particularly in martinis and Manhattans.

Sharon Tyler Herbst’s book, The Ultimate A-To-Z Bar Guide, lists 112 cocktails using dry vermouth and 82 containing sweet vermouth. While vermouth can be used as a substitute for white wine in food recipes, because it is more flavorful than wine, it may be overwhelming when used in certain dishes. The herbs in dry vermouth make it an attractive ingredient in sauces for fish dishes or as a marinade for other meats, including pork and chicken. Because vermouth is fortified, an opened bottle will not sour as quickly as white wine.