Vermouth
Its history and ingredients
The year was 1786
The owner of the liquor shop below the Porticoes of Piazza della
Fiera (now Piazza Castello) on the corner with Via della Palma (now Via
Viotti) was Signor Marendazzo. His shop helper was Antonio Benedetto
Carpano, who had come to town from Bioglio Biellese and who after appreciating
the extra fine qualities of moscato wine, decided to create an aromatic
wine from it by adding spices and herbs according to the dictates of certain
monks of his native valley.
This was how Vermouth was born
The novelty was appreciated so much that the Turinese started to crowd the
humble drinking place of Piazza Castello which soon became - and was destined
to remain for close on 140 years - the most frequented meeting place in
town. A basket of the new product was sent to the then ruling Vittorio Amedeo
II. He found it so exquisite as to suspend the production of rosolio made
at court and the news soon made the new drink's success.
Vermouth is produced with white wine with the addition of a infusion of
over 50 different varieties of herbs and spices, sweetened with sugar but
without the use of colourings...
The birth of Punt e Mes, the bitter version of Vermouth, was in 1870.
One day a group of stock exchange agents was discussing the day's business,
in Carpano's shop. One of them, wanting a Vermouth corrected with half a
dose of cinchona, inadvertently ordered a punt e mes. Everybody laughed,
but this variation to Classical Vermouth was rapidly very successful and
became the speciality that has made Carpano world famous.
A real and proper aristocracy of Vermouth makers developed at Turin and
in other areas of Piedmont during the 18th Century. Carpano was followed
by Cora, Cinzano, Martini & Rossi, Gancia, Anselmo, Ballor, Calissano,
Chazalettesand many others, thanks to whom the popularity of Turin's Vermouth
became international, in different ways and degrees.
Vermouth is at its best drunk straight, or lengthened with water as a refreshing
drink, but always very cool. It's also the indispensable component of some of
the most famed cocktails.