By Chris Toff & Caroline Hoskins

Most people think of vermouth as an ingredient mixed into a Martini. That style of vermouth comes from France and is meant to be subtle, herbal, and dry (meaning NOT sweet). In Spain, vermouth is something very different. It is served on its own, slightly sweet, often over ice with an orange slice or an olive, and enjoyed before a meal as a social drink.

What Is Vermouth?

Vermouth is a wine that has been gently fortified with alcohol and infused with herbs, roots, flowers, and spices called botanicals. When we say vermouth is “fortified with alcohol,” we mean a small amount of neutral grape spirit is added to the wine. This spirit is made from distilled grapes.

Photo: The process of making vermouth from the Museo del Vermut in Reus, Spain. Image created by Miro, a leading Spanish vermouth producer. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

Vermouth starts as traditional wine, but its flavor comes from ingredients such as citrus peel, chamomile, anise, wormwood, and other plants selected by the producer. These botanicals add bitterness, sweetness, and aroma, which is what makes vermouth taste different from table wine. 

One botanical must always be present for a wine to be called vermouth: wormwood. Wormwood is a bitter herb that gives vermouth a distinctive flavor and helps balance the sweetness of the wine and other botanicals.

In Spain, vermouth is treated as a drink on its own, not just something used in cocktails. People enjoy it before a meal because it wakes up the appetite and brings people together for a relaxed moment at the bar or café.

Croma Vera Wines makes a slightly sweet Rosé vermouth, called Vermouth del Sol.

 

A Brief History of Vermouth

Photo: Historic bottles of various types of Spanish and Italian vermouth, dating to the 1700s, from the Museo del Vermut in Reus, Spain. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

 

Vermouth began as a type of medicinal wine. Thousands of years ago, people soaked herbs and roots in wine because they believed these plants could help with digestion and health. One of those herbs was wormwood, which is very bitter and was used to stimulate the appetite. Over time, these herbal wines became less about medicine and more about flavor and enjoyment.

Modern vermouth developed in Turin, Italy, in the late 1700s. Vermouth producers in Turin started blending wine with alcohol, sugar, and botanicals to create a balanced drink that was shelf-stable. This style spread quickly to France, where drier (not sweet) and lighter versions were created. By the 1800s, vermouth had become popular across Europe and was being used both as an aperitif and in early cocktails, like martinis.

Spain took vermouth in its own direction. In the early 1900s, Spanish producers started producing richer and sweeter vermouths with strong citrus and herbal flavors. Drinking vermouth became a social tradition, especially on weekends before lunch or dinner. This tradition, known as “la hora del vermut,” is still part of Spanish culture today and is one of the reasons vermouth remains closely tied to food, friends, and slow afternoons at the bar.

 

Vermouth Culture in Spain

Photo: Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain, where enjoying a glass of sweet vermouth is quite common. Credit: Deniz Demirci on Unsplash.

 

In Spain, vermouth is not a special occasion drink and it is not something people overthink. It shows up in the middle of the day, before a meal, when people are deciding whether they are staying for lunch or just stopping in for a quick bite. You see it on café tables and bar counters, already poured over ice, already waiting for food.

La Hora del Vermut (Vermouth Hour)

Before lunch, bars start to fill up. Someone orders vermouth. Someone else orders olives. A small plate of chips appears without much discussion. This is la hora del vermut. It is not scheduled, and it is not formal. It just happens because that is when people are hungry and still have time to sit for a few minutes.

There is nothing precious about vermouth in this moment, especially when you compare it to wine. Wine arrives with a little ceremony. Vermouth does not. It shows up in a small glass, over ice, with an orange slice or an olive if someone remembers to add one. What matters is that it is cold and that it comes before the food does.

Vermouth and the Plaza

One of the places we noticed vermouth most often was in the plaza. Not tucked inside restaurants, but out in the open, where people could sit and watch the day go by. Tables were pulled into the sun. Glasses of vermouth showed up with ice and an orange slice. People leaned back in their chairs and looked around instead of down at their phones.

Somehow, the Spanish plaza makes vermouth feel like part of public life instead of a private drink. You see families walking through, kids kicking balls, neighbors stopping to talk, and tourists trying to decide where to eat. Vermouth fits into that scene easily.

Vermouth and Late-Night Culture

Vermouth does not only belong to the hours before lunch. In some cities, it also shows up later at night, especially in outdoor bars and plazas. Younger people sometimes choose it instead of a cocktail because it is lighter and easier to sit with while they talk.
Its lower alcohol makes it possible to keep drinking without turning the night into something loud or rushed. In that way, vermouth fits both the start of the day and the long stretch after dinner, when people are still out but not ready to go home.

 

Types of Vermouth

Photo: Croma Vera Wines' Mindy Oliver and Chris Toff enjoying a white and red vermouth with the traditional potato chips and olives (so many!) at the Museo del Vermut in Reus, Spain. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

 

Vermouth is best understood by how sweet it is first, and then by what color or style of wine is used. The color can be red, white, or rosé, but sweetness is what really separates one style from another. In Spain, this can be confusing because the word blanco can mean either 'white and sweet' or 'white and dry'. That is why it helps to think of vermouth in two steps: Sweetness level and base wine color.

Sweet Vermouth (Red, White, or Rosé)

Sweet vermouth has the most sugar and the roundest flavor. It can be made from red, white, or rosé wine.

• Red sweet vermouth (Rojo): Dark in color and rich in flavor, with notes of caramel, baking spices, dried fruit, and orange peel. The bitterness is present but softened by sweetness. This is the most traditional style in Spain and Italy, often served over ice with an orange slice or an olive.
• White sweet vermouth (Blanco or Bianco): Pale in color but still sweet. It often shows flavors of vanilla, citrus peel, chamomile, and soft herbs. The bitterness is gentler than in red vermouth, and it is usually served with a lemon twist.
  
• Rosé sweet vermouth: Made from rosé wine and usually lighter and fresher than red vermouth. It often tastes of citrus, red fruit, and gentle herbs. This style sits between red and white in both color and flavor and is easy to drink on its own.

Dry Vermouth (Usually White)

Dry vermouth has much less sugar than sweet vermouth. It is usually pale in color and focuses on herbal and floral flavors rather than richness. The bitterness stands out more because there is less sweetness to balance it. This is the style most people know from Martinis. In Spain, it is sometimes enjoyed on its own, but it is more commonly used in cocktails.

Extra Dry Vermouth

Extra dry vermouth has almost no sweetness at all. It is very light, sharp, and herbal, with a clean bitter edge. This style is made mainly for mixing into cocktails and is rarely served on its own. It adds aroma and structure without adding sugar or weight to the drink.

Sweetness and Bitterness Spectrum

Vermouth can be thought of on a simple scale. Extra dry is the least sweet and most bitter. Dry is slightly sweet, but still tastes crisp and herbal. Sweet vermouth is the sweetest and roundest, with bitterness offering a supporting role instead of leading the flavor. Rosé sweet vermouth usually falls in the middle, with balanced sweetness and gentle bitterness.

Typical Botanicals

Most vermouths use a blend of botanicals, including wormwood, citrus peel, chamomile, anise, cinnamon, clove, gentian root, and other herbs and flowers. Sweet styles tend to highlight spice and citrus. Dry styles lean more toward herbs and flowers. Rosé styles often combine citrus with fresh fruit notes from the base wine.

How Sweet Vermouth Is Traditionally Enjoyed

Sweet vermouth is meant to be enjoyed slowly and simply. In Spain, it is treated more like a wine than a cocktail ingredient. It is part of a daily rhythm and usually enjoyed before a meal with small bites of food.

Straight vs Cocktails

Traditionally, sweet vermouth is drunk on its own, not mixed into a cocktail. It is usually served over ice, so it stays cold and refreshing. While sweet vermouth is used in classic cocktails like the Negroni and Manhattan, in Spanish culture, it is more common to drink it straight. The goal is to taste the wine and botanicals without covering them up.

Garnishes

The most common garnish is a slice of orange. Some people prefer a green olive, especially with red sweet vermouth. Lemon peel is more often used with sweet white vermouth. The garnish is simple and meant to add aroma, not to dominate the drink.

Glassware

Sweet vermouth is usually served in a small wine glass or a short rocks glass with a large ice cube. The pour is modest enough to sip without feeling heavy. It is not meant to be a big drink. The idea is to keep it light so you can enjoy it slowly while you talk and snack.

Food Pairings

Vermouth almost always arrives with something salty. Sometimes it is just a bowl of olives. Sometimes it is potato chips or almonds. If you are lucky, there might be tinned fish or a small sandwich on the counter.

The food is not meant to steal the show. It is there to keep the drink company. Salt makes the vermouth taste brighter. Bitterness makes you reach for another bite. The glass and the plate work together, each making the other more interesting.

Sweet vermouth is usually paired with simple snacks rather than full dishes. Olives, chips, roasted nuts, and small tapas are the usual companions. The sweetness softens the salt, and the bitterness keeps your appetite moving forward instead of filling you up.

For me, one of the clearest memories of this is sitting with my wife in the Museo de Vermut in Reus, Spain, drinking vermouth with a bowl of freshly fried potato chips and an enormous dish of green olives.

Spanish Vermouth vs Italian and French Vermouth

Photo: Hundreds of different bottles of vermouth from Spain, Italy, and France at the Museo del Vermut in Reus, Spain. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

 

While vermouth is made in many countries, Spain, Italy, and France have the most well-known traditions. Each country approaches vermouth a little differently, which shows up in how it tastes and how people drink it.

Sweetness

Spanish vermouth is usually on the sweeter side, especially in the classic red style. Italian vermouth can also be sweet, but it is often richer and heavier. French vermouth is typically the driest (least sweet), with much less sugar and a lighter body, the kind of vermouth you’ve most likely used in your Martini.

Bitterness

Spanish vermouth usually keeps bitterness in check so it stays smooth and easy to sip. You notice the bitter edge, but it does not jump out at you. Italian vermouth is often darker and more intense, with bitterness coming from spices and roots. French vermouth is the sharpest of the three because there is very little sweetness to round it out.

Botanical Profiles

Many Spanish vermouths highlight citrus peel, warm spices, and soft herbs. Italian vermouth usually highlights baking spices, vanilla, and herbal notes. French vermouth focuses more on light herbs and flowers, like chamomile and alpine plants, with fewer sweet spice flavors.

Cultural Differences Enjoying Vermouth

In Spain, vermouth is a social drink enjoyed before meals, especially on weekends. Spanish vermouth is usually served over ice with a simple garnish and paired with small snacks. In Italy, vermouth is both an aperitif and a cocktail ingredient and plays a role in classic drinks like the Negroni. In France, vermouth is mainly used in cocktails, especially the Martini, and is less often drunk on its own.

 

Modern Vermouth Revival

Photo: Croma Vera Wines' Vermouth del Sol, pictured with a few of the key botanicals: wormwood, anise, and orange peel. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

 

For many years, vermouth was mostly seen as something that lived on the back bar for cocktails. In the last decade, that has changed. In the United States, Vermouth is being rediscovered as a drink people enjoy on its own, just like in Spain.

Craft Vermouth

Small producers are now making vermouth in the same way craft breweries and small wineries make their products. They focus on quality wine, real botanicals, and careful recipes instead of mass production. These vermouths tend to taste fresher and more balanced because they are made in smaller batches with more attention to detail.

Regional Producers

Today, vermouth is being made in many wine regions, not just in Europe. Producers are using local herbs, citrus, and base wines that reflect their area. This gives each vermouth a sense of place, much as wine does. A vermouth made near the coast may taste brighter and more citrusy, while one made inland may lean more herbal or spiced.

Wine-Driven Vermouths

Modern vermouth is often built around the wine itself instead of hiding it. The quality of the base wine matters more than it used to. These wine-driven vermouths showcase the wine's fruit, acidity, and texture first, with botanicals added to support and shape the flavor rather than dominate it.

Vermouth as a Standalone Drink

More people are now drinking vermouth straight again, especially sweet and rosé styles. It is served over ice with a simple garnish and enjoyed before a meal, just as it is in Spain. This shift has helped vermouth move out of the cocktail-only category and back into its role as a social, food-friendly drink meant to be sipped and shared.

 

A California Interpretation of Spanish Vermouth

Photo: A traditional Spanish vermouth is frequently served in a rocks glass with ice cubes, an orange twist/peel, and potato chips. Credit: Croma Vera Wines.

 

Making vermouth in California is a natural fit because we already grow great wine grapes and care deeply about how wine is made. Spanish vermouth is built on the idea that vermouth starts as wine, not as a spirit or a syrupy mixer. California producers share that same mindset.

We work with fresh fruit, real botanicals, and balanced flavors, using the same care that goes into making a bottle of wine.

Why Make Vermouth in California?

California has a strong wine culture and a climate that supports bright, flavorful grapes. That makes it a good place to create vermouth that feels honest and food-friendly. A California vermouth can honor Spanish tradition while still showing where it was made. It is not trying to copy Spain exactly. It is inspired by it.

Use of Rosé Base Wine

Using rosé wine as the base gives vermouth a lighter and fresher character, which we think appeals more to a California palate. Rosé brings natural fruit flavor and acidity, which helps keep the vermouth from feeling heavy or overly sweet. It also adds a soft color and a clean finish that works well with botanicals and citrus.

Citrus and Botanicals

Spanish-style vermouth often leans into citrus and gentle herbs. A California version can do the same by using orange and lemon peels and carefully chosen botanicals that highlight freshness rather than strong bitterness. The goal is balance. The botanicals should support the wine, not cover it up.

Climate Influence

California’s warm days and cool nights help create grapes with both ripeness and acidity. That balance shows up in the finished vermouth. It can feel bright and open, with enough structure to stand up to ice and food. The climate also encourages a style meant for daytime and early evening drinking, just like in Spain.

 

Why Vermouth Fits Naturally in California Wine Culture

Photo: The rolling hills of the California Central Coast are a perfect climate to produce the base wine for Vermouth. Credit: San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.

 

Vermouth fits in naturally in California because people here drink the same way people do in Spain. It is about getting together, having something to eat, and enjoying a drink before a meal. It is more about daytime and early evening than staying out late.

Aperitivo Parallels

In California, meeting for a drink before dinner is already part of the culture. People stop by a wine bar or tasting room in the late afternoon to unwind and catch up before heading out to eat. Vermouth fits easily into that space. It is lighter than most cocktails and meant to be sipped, not rushed, which makes it feel right at home alongside wine in a pre-dinner setting.

Food Culture

California is known for fresh food and simple pairings. Vermouth works well with salty, savory snacks like olives, nuts, chips, and seafood. Its mix of sweetness and bitterness helps wake up the palate, just like a good glass of wine before a meal. It belongs on the table, not just behind the bar.

Warm Climate

Much of California has warm, sunny weather, which makes cold, refreshing drinks more appealing. Vermouth served over ice with citrus feels natural in this climate. It is lighter than most cocktails and more complex than a simple glass of wine, which makes it a good choice for daytime and early evening drinking.

Urban Tasting Rooms

Urban tasting rooms are social spaces where people gather, talk, and snack. Vermouth fits this setting because it does not require special equipment or complicated mixing. It can be poured and enjoyed like wine. This makes it easy to share with friends and pair with small bites in a relaxed, informal space.

 

Conclusion: Vermouth as a Wine Tradition, Not a Cocktail Ingredient

Vermouth did not start as a cocktail ingredient. It began as a wine tradition, shaped by herbs, time, and culture. 

In Spain, vermouth is a normal part of the day, especially before lunch or dinner. People order it, sit down with friends, and have something salty to eat while they drink it. It is not treated like a cocktail that needs to be mixed or dressed up. It is just poured, garnished simply, and enjoyed for what it is.

At Croma Vera, we see vermouth as an extension of wine, not a shortcut to cocktails, although we do have some pretty amazing cocktail recipes as well! Our Spanish-inspired rosé vermouth is made with respect for the way vermouth is enjoyed in Spain and for the role wine plays in that culture. It is a California vermouth, but it is guided by a distinctly Spanish approach.