Latest news with #Vermouth
Tatler Asia
4 days ago
- General
- Tatler Asia
Vermouth, the true 'muse' in the cocktail world
Where does Vermouth come from? The vermouth story begins in 1786, when Antonio Benedetto Carpano began making sweet vermouth using Moscato wine in Turin. His creation proved a hit not just with locals, but also with royalty, sparking a wave of commercial production across the Duchy of Savoy. The Torino style was eventually awarded protected geographical indication status in 1991, with stricter production standards introduced in 2017 under the label Vermouth di Torino. In southern France, dry vermouth emerged in the early 1800s, courtesy of Joseph Noilly. Later came sweeter blanc versions, pioneered by Dolin and Comoz, setting the stage for today's diverse array of blanc, dry and extra-dry vermouths now produced globally. Read more: The Best Asian Rums To Drink Right Now Carpano's original recipe wasn't revived until 2001, when it was reintroduced as Carpano Antica Formula, quickly becoming a favourite among bartenders. Experts point to it as the inspiration behind acclaimed labels such as Cocchi Storico, Cinzano 1757 and Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale. Though it originated in Italy, vermouth production soon made its way to France and Spain—and today, it flourishes everywhere from the United States and Australia to South America and South Africa. Types of Vermouth Above Sweet vermouth traditionally originated in Italy Sweet vermouth, which hails from Italy, typically contains 130 grams or more of sugar per litre. It's available in both red and white varieties. While each has its own distinct nuance, both are interchangeable in cocktails calling for sweet vermouth. Master blenders note that sweet red vermouth carries warm notes of clove, cinnamon, anise and nutmeg, while the white version leans towards vanilla sweetness, citrusy aromas and a spiced finish on the palate. Often referred to as rosso, sweet red vermouth is a staple in cocktails such as the Negroni or the Manhattan. When asked about its versatility, Izzy Tulloch, head bartender at Milady's in New York City, recommends using it in sangria for a rich, textured harmony between herbal bitterness and the natural sweetness of fruit. If Emanuele Balestra, head bartender at Le Majestic and Le Gray d'Albion at the Barrière Hotel in Cannes, has white vermouth on hand, he'll often craft a Chamomile Negroni, prized for its gentle sweetness and refined botanical and floral bouquet. Dry Above Dry vermouth is often distilled with wormwood Originating in France, dry vermouth is commonly distilled with wormwood, its defining ingredient. Pale yellow in hue, it offers more herbal, floral and citrus-forward aromas than its sweeter counterparts. With less than 50 grams of sugar per litre, it leans sharply acidic, particularly when combined with gin, producing a saline quality that enhances salivation. Dry vermouth is a classic component of the Martini. According to leading bartenders worldwide, a preferred ratio is 50:50 gin and dry vermouth, garnished with olive peel and a twist of lemon. Its mild bitterness cuts through and lifts the juniper and botanical essence of the gin. Super-dry Super-dry vermouth contains even less sugar than the dry varieties, measuring under 30 grams per litre. Bright with flavours of lemon, orange and herbs, it pairs particularly well with sharp, tart spirits that benefit from its crisp finish. Blanc/Bianco/ Blanco Above Vermouth blanc/bianco is often used to balance out the bitterness Among the white vermouths, blanc (also known as bianco or blanco) is the sweetest. In cocktails, it's often used to soften bitter notes. A prime example is the White Negroni, where vermouth bianco balances the absence of Campari's sugary edge. When ingredients like Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano aren't to hand, some bartenders will substitute with blanc vermouth in cocktails such as the Corpse Reviver #2 or the Vesper Martini. Read more: 6 trends defining mixology and cocktails today Rosé, Amber and Americano Above Rose and Amber Vermouth can blend smoothly with any wine Falling somewhere between dry and sweet, rosé, amber, and Americano vermouths are often defined by the drinker's palate. Their balance makes them remarkably versatile, ideal for blending with a variety of wines to create imaginative cocktails. Americano (or aperitivo), in particular, has a texture reminiscent of bitter herbal liqueurs like Campari, and is frequently used as a base in place of stronger spirits. Chinato Above Above Chinato, amaro or amargo are bitter vermouths Bitter vermouths known as chinato, amaro or amargo are based on cinchona. Though often likened to wine-based amaros, they differ in structure due to their fortified wine foundation. Among the most notable in this style is Barolo Chinato from Piedmont. While technically falling under the vermouth umbrella, these bottlings occupy a distinctive category of their own, and often come with a higher price tag. You may not know: Captivating wine films every wine lover and oenophile should watch Why is vermouth popular in cocktails? Vermouth is often described as 'bringing out the flavours' in a cocktail, much like whisky or gin might. But for bartenders, its appeal lies in something more practical—distillation. By swapping part of a high-proof spirit with a lower-proof fortified wine, vermouth reduces the overall alcohol content of a drink. This tempers the ethanol edge, allowing more delicate notes to emerge. The effect is similar to adding water to Scotch: rather than overwhelming heat, subtleties of caramel, vanilla, peat or oak are revealed. Above Vermouth helps to bring out the flavours of a cocktail
Syyaha
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Syyaha
Inside Riyadh's Most Luxurious New Brunch Experience at Café Boulud
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 2025– Café Boulud at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh is elevating the brunch scene in Riyadh, with the launch of a refined and indulgent Friday brunch experience. Seamlessly blending the charm of a New York weekend with the finesse of classic French cuisine, this new offering invites guests to unwind, indulge, and savor every bite in one of city's most elegant dining destinations. From the moment guests step into the stylish, naturally lit interior of Café Boulud, they are welcomed into a warm and refined space where every detail is designed to elevate the dining experience. The curated menu, served as a bottomless à la carte brunch, brings together signature dishes, luxurious mains, and made-to-order specialties—each crafted with the precision, creativity, and flair that define Café Boulud's unique culinary signature. The experience begins with handcrafted cocktails like classic Mimosas, zesty Limoncello Spritz, and a daring Jalapeño-infused Vermouth—each designed to awaken the senses. Cold starters set the tone for indulgence like delicately plated shrimp cocktails, and a caviar supplement for those seeking elevated luxury. Egg lovers can revel in a variety of delicacies at the dedicated egg station, including perfectly executed Eggs Benedict, Florentine, or Royal, creamy Avocado Toast topped with poached eggs, and custom-prepared eggs with seasonal garnishes. Brunch adventurers will find joy in the hot starters and mains—from Chicken & Waffles drizzled with maple syrup to Lobster Rolls on buttered buns, Roasted Black Cod with lemon butter, and Wagyu American Burgers served with all the trimmings. Dessert is an event of its own. Guests can select from the Classic Cheesecake Trolley with customizable toppings, the tangy and sweet Key Lime Pie, a rich chocolate Brownie with Brazilian nuts, or a nostalgic Banana Split layered with ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. Every dish is thoughtfully prepared to evoke delight. Café Boulud's new Friday brunch is already becoming a favorite for locals and visitors alike, offering standout cuisine in an atmosphere that's both vibrant and inviting. Whether you're celebrating something special or just looking to enjoy the best brunch in Riyadh, this experience is the perfect way to slow down and enjoy your weekend. Brunch is served every Friday from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM, priced at SAR 375 per person. For more information or bookings please visit:
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Meet the Young Aristocrat That's Making Brunello Cool Again
This story is from an installment of The Oeno Files, our weekly insider newsletter to the world of fine wine. Sign up here. Thirty-year-old vintner Santiago Cinzano has just launched a new estate called Conti Marone Cinzano, where he is pioneering an unorthodox viticultural philosophy: selecting the best plot in any given vintage to create his wine, Lot.1 Brunello di Montalcino. Due to increasing climatic unpredictability, the plot changes every year and is selected during the ripening season based on the year's conditions and their influence on the vines. After realizing that members of his age group prefer other styles of wine to age-worthy Brunello with potentially hefty tannins, Cinzano launched his project with an eye toward making Brunello cool again. More from Robb Report $2.2 Million Worth of Ancient Artifacts Trafficked Through New York Are Returning to Greece and Italy Spring-Break Travel Prices Have Hit a Record High This Year How to Sell a Bottle of Wine From Your Collection The 10th generation of a winemaking dynasty whose surname is more closely associated with Vermouth and Asti Spumante than red wine, Cinzano notes that his friends prefer to drink styles such as Beaujolais, Trousseau from Jura, and crisp, fresh reds from the slopes of Mount Etna rather than what they consider an overly tannic red that may not be ready to drink for another 10 years. 'Don't get me wrong—I know that today Brunello's reputation is at an all-time high,' Cinzano says. 'But people my age want to drink cool wines. Montalcino, Brunello, today, they are not cool. They're prestigious. They're high end. They're historical. They're classic. But Brunello is not considered cool by 25- to 30-year-olds.' Ten years ago, Cinzano's father, Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, ceded 10 percent of the land owned by his Montalcino wine estate Col d'Orcia to Santiago and his brother to begin a project of their own. At that time, this portion of the estate had been planted with fields of grain, olive groves, and forests, which Santiago replaced with Sangiovese planted in bush-vine style. The elder Cinzano had sold the remaining 50 percent of his family's eponymous Vermouth and sparkling-wine brand when his own father died in a car accident in 1989, and his son's first line item in starting a new project was to use his family name on the bottle, which was easier said than done. The sale of Cinzano was a painful end to an illustrious family legacy dating back to 1757, and while Santiago wanted to reclaim the name, multiple legal consultants and attorneys told him it would be impossible. Unbeknown to Francesco, Santiago set up a meeting in Milan with Luca Garavoglia, chairman of Campari Group, the current owner of Cinzano. 'I presented this project, and he told me, 'As long as Campari owns Cinzano, I will never make your life difficult. Send me a bottle for Christmas. Please, use your family name, feel free,'' he says. And thus Conti Marone Cinzano was born, for which Santiago often uses the shorthand CMC. With his family name back in play, it was important to him to take a personal, intimate approach to every aspect of winemaking from vineyard to bottle, including his and Francesco's signature on the label and hand-numbering each bottle. Because his 10-year-old vineyard is not producing grapes of the quality necessary for such a special project, CMC Lot.1 is currently reliant on the vines of Col d'Orcia, where 272 acres are planted at 500 to almost 1,500 feet above sea level with many different expositions and multiple soil types. The vineyard has been broken down into micro-parcels so that the team can understand each and every plot as deeply as possible. Working closely with enologist Dr. Donato Lanati of Giacomo Conterno and Giuseppe Mascarello fame, Cinzano's Lot.1 is a single-vineyard wine, but it will not be from the same plot each vintage. 'In the past eight years we've seen the warmest year on record, the driest year on record, and the rainiest autumn on record,' Santiago says. 'We are seeing such a level of climatic variability and unpredictability that the concept of having to rely on a single plot is becoming less and less reliable.' With that in mind, Lanati analyzes grapes samples just after veraison, which indicates the onset of ripening. He is looking for aromatic precursors that at that point cannot be smelled or tasted in the grape; they are released only during fermentation. Lanati examines the grapes prior to full ripening and can predict the evolution of aromas, thereby choosing the best plots weeks before harvest and then narrowing it down to just one. 'When we are harvesting that parcel, we go even further, and it's a selection of the best bunches from that already selected parcel,' he says. 'The parameters allow me to do very short maceration and very delicate pump overs to have a fresh, approachable wine, but at the same time I can extract a lot of aromas.' Seeking to release a wine that's age-worthy yet still approachable, Santiago and Lanati's goal is a 'Brunello that even in its first year of release has tannins that are extremely integrated, extremely silky, and extremely round,' Lanati says. Cinzano's 2019 Lot.1 is derived from what he calls a 'textbook vintage.' Sourced from the estate's almost 40-year-old Canneto vineyard, the wine benefited from 'near perfect equilibrium' in its soil composition. 'The limestone, clay, and sandy components have great balance, which in a vintage like 2019, where you didn't need the most draining soil or the most retentive soil, you go for a very balanced soil,' he says. The plot's southern exposure and ample sunlight brought on perfect phenolic ripeness, which is necessary to make great wine. The entire lot was aged in a single large wooden tank called a botte and was transferred to bottle in August 2023. Conti Marone Cinzano 2019 Lot.1 Brunello di Montalcino is deep garnet in the glass and has a bouquet of cranberry, pomegranate, cherry, and vanilla with touches of saddle leather and tobacco leaf. Flavors of ripe summer cherry and dried cranberry are wrapped in brilliant acidity and polished tannins shot through with a bold vein of minerality. Shimmering acidity lingers into the drawn-out finish. If this wine doesn't make Brunello cool again, we wonder if anything will. Do you want access to rare and outstanding reds from Napa Valley? Join the Robb Report 672 Wine Club today. Best of Robb Report Why a Heritage Turkey Is the Best Thanksgiving Bird—and How to Get One 9 Stellar West Coast Pinot Noirs to Drink Right Now The 10 Best Wines to Pair With Steak, From Cabernet to Malbec Click here to read the full article.
