the WINE GUY
Vermouth has become the new killer summer sipper. This fortified and aromatized wine is perhaps better known as an inflection point in a martini or a complementary cocktail player, but it is having a moment and it’s worth paying attention because vermouth is tailor made for the summer season.
Actually it’s been a star in Spain for some time, where many bars have multiple vermouths on tap ready to sate alongside salty tapas. However, vermouth is ready to take a global stage and it’s ready to get into your glass, whether sipped on the rocks as an aperitif or with a splash of club soda as a summer savvy, lower-alcohol highball.
THE SWIRL: FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT AVERILL CREEK VINEYARD
Each Friday through August, Duncan’s Averill Creek Vineyard is hosting Food Truck Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., pairing wine by-the-glass specials with cuisine served up by a rotating schedule of food trucks. This Friday features the Mexican Food Mafia truck, for the complete schedule check out averillcreek.ca.
Noilly Prat Extra Dry, France ($12.99 for 750mL, #656876)
Vermouth is typically classified as dry or sweet — white or red, blanc or rouge — though in reality there is a diverse vermouth spectrum. There’s no mistaking which side Noilly Prat’s Extra Dry falls on, after all it says it right on the label, however, this white vermouth is anything but bitter. Based on a secret 1813 recipe, this fortified wine from France brings strong citrus, floral and herbal notes. And while it will remain a mainstay in a classic dry martini, for a fun twist this summer keep a bottle in the fridge and give it a try solo on the rocks with a slice of lemon, ideally served with bowls of salty potato chips and toasted almonds.
Carpano Antica Formula, Italy ($18.99 for 375mL, #30049 or $46.99 for 1.0 L, #897975)
It was way back in Turin circa 1786 that Antica Formula was first produced by Antonio Benedetto Carpano, utilizing a recipe still used today. Antica Formula is a sweet vermouth, its myriad flavours and aromas at times beguiling, but overall characterized by rich dark fruit, vanilla, caramel, and citrus — with a slightly bitter, herbal edge leading to a lip-smacking conclusion. This delicious vermouth is a bartender favourite stirred into cocktails such as Manhattans and Boulevardiers, though for a lighter summer-sipping touch it’s great with seltzer and a squeeze of lemon (or a few dashes of orange bitters).
Miro Blanco Vermut, Spain ($31.99 for 1L, available at select private liquor stores)
Spanish vermouth (or vermut) is not as globally known as its French or Italian counterparts, but it is quickly finding fashion. Though comparatively young as a vermouth producer, since its founding in 1957 Miro has grown to become one of Spain’s largest vermouth houses. While labelled blanco, or white, this vermouth is actually quite sweet, with engaging nuances of citrus and mountain herbs. For best results, serve as they would in a Madrid or Barcelona vermuteria, or vermouth bar: cold over ice with an orange wedge and an olive (and topped up with sparkling water if it’s really hot out!).