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Vermouth, aperitivo bitters, sherry and sparkling wine

The wines of the bar. Sweet versus dry vermouth, bitter red aperitivi, quinquinas, sherry and sparkling wine, and how to keep them fresh.

Half of the great stirred cocktails are a spirit with an aromatised wine. These bottles are wine first, so they go stale: keep opened vermouth and quinquina in the fridge and finish them within a month or so. Oxidised vermouth is the most common reason a home Manhattan or Martini tastes flat.

Vermouth

Vermouth is wine fortified with spirit, lightly sweetened and flavoured with herbs and spices; its name comes from the German Wermut, wormwood, its traditional bitter herb. EU rules set its strength between 14.5% and 22%.

Sweet (red, rosso)
The Turin style: richer, darker and spicier, coloured with caramel. Manhattan, Negroni, Americano, Rob Roy.
Dry
The French style associated with Chambéry and Marseille: pale, light and herbal. Martini, El Presidente (with orange curaçao), Bamboo.
Blanc (bianco)
Pale but sweet, with vanilla and flowers. Useful in lighter stirred drinks.

Bitter aperitivi and quinquinas

The Milanese tradition of bitter red aperitivi (around 25%) gives the Negroni, Boulevardier and Americano their bitterness and colour. Lighter orange aperitivi (around 11%) are the base of the spritz. Quinquinas (kina wines) are white or red wines aromatised with cinchona bark, the source of quinine; the white ones belong in the Vesper and Corpse Reviver No. 2.

Sherry

Fortified wine from the Jerez area of Andalusia. Fino (about 15%) is aged under a layer of yeast called flor and is bone-dry and saline; amontillado starts as fino and then ages without it, turning nutty. Sherry was a cocktail staple in the 19th century: the Sherry Cobbler was one of the most popular drinks of its time, and the Bamboo is sherry and vermouth with no spirit at all.

Sparkling wine

A dry (brut) sparkling wine made by the traditional method, or prosecco for lighter drinks. Add it last, gently, and pour down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles.

Bottles in this group and the strengths we assume

IngredientTypical ABVRange on the shelfDrinks here
Sweet (red) vermouth16%15–18%9
Dry vermouth17%15–18%2
Blanc (bianco) vermouth16%14.5–18%1
Quinquina aperitif wine (kina-style, white)17%fairly uniform2
Red bitter aperitivo (Milan-style, about 25%)25%20–28%4
Light orange aperitivo (about 11%)11%fairly uniform3
Bittersweet grappa-based amaro35%fairly uniform1
Fernet-style bitter amaro39%fairly uniform1
Fino sherry15%fairly uniform1
Amontillado sherry17%16–19%1
Dry sparkling wine (champagne-method or similar)12%fairly uniform4
Prosecco11%fairly uniform2
Dry white wine12%fairly uniform0

Cocktails that use vermouth, aperitivo and wine (24)

Americano Red bitter aperitivo and sweet vermouth lengthened with soda. Bittersweet, low in alcohol and made for the hour before dinner. Highballs · Built · ~8%
Bamboo Dry sherry and dry vermouth stirred with orange and aromatic bitters. Low in alcohol, dry, nutty and quietly complex. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~12%
Bellini White peach purée topped with cold prosecco. Soft, fragrant and pale pink, from Harry's Bar in Venice. Sparkling and spritzes · Built · ~7%
Blood and Sand Scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth and orange juice in equal parts. Fruity and round, with a whisky backbone. Sours · Shaken · ~13%
Boulevardier Bourbon, sweet vermouth and red bitter aperitivo, stirred. A warmer, rounder Negroni for whiskey drinkers. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~22%
Champagne Cocktail A bitters-soaked sugar cube in a flute of cold sparkling wine. A slowly changing, gently spiced old celebration drink. Sparkling and spritzes · Built · ~13%
Corpse Reviver No. 2 Equal parts gin, quinquina, orange liqueur and lemon with a breath of absinthe. Bright, citrusy and lightly bitter. Sours · Shaken · ~16%
Dry Martini Gin and dry vermouth stirred very cold. A short, clean, aromatic drink whose dryness is set by how much vermouth you use. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~26%
El Presidente Rum stirred with blanc vermouth, orange curaçao and a touch of grenadine. Havana's elegant answer to the Manhattan. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~22%
French 75 Gin, lemon and sugar topped with dry sparkling wine. Bright and festive, and stronger than it tastes. Sparkling and spritzes · Shaken · ~13%
Hanky Panky Gin and sweet vermouth with a sharp edge of bitter, minty amaro. A Savoy classic created by Ada Coleman. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~21%
Jungle Bird Dark rum, a red bitter aperitivo, pineapple and lime. A tiki drink with a bitter Italian streak, from 1970s Kuala Lumpur. Tiki and tropical · Shaken · ~11%
Kir Royale Blackcurrant liqueur topped with dry sparkling wine. Simple, festive and deep pink, from Burgundy. Sparkling and spritzes · Built · ~12%
Manhattan Rye or bourbon, sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred and served up. Rich, spiced and the model for a whole family of drinks. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~26%
Martinez Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, a little maraschino and bitters. The rich, rounded forerunner of the Martini. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~21%
Mimosa Fresh orange juice and dry sparkling wine in equal parts. Light, fruity and the standard brunch drink. Sparkling and spritzes · Built · ~6%
Naked and Famous Equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, light orange aperitivo and lime. Smoky, herbal and bittersweet, all at once. Sours · Shaken · ~16%
Negroni Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and red bitter aperitivo. Bittersweet, strong and easy to remember. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~20%
Paper Plane Equal parts bourbon, bittersweet amaro, light orange aperitivo and lemon. Tart, gently bitter and easy to remember. Sours · Shaken · ~15%
Rob Roy Blended Scotch, sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred and served up. The Manhattan with a Scottish accent. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~23%
Sherry Cobbler Sherry, sugar and orange shaken and poured over crushed ice. Light, fruity and cold; a craze of 1840s America. Juleps and smashes · Shaken · ~10%
Spritz Prosecco, a light orange aperitivo and a splash of soda over ice. Bittersweet, bright orange and low in alcohol. Sparkling and spritzes · Built · ~8%
Vesper Gin, vodka and a quinine aperitif wine, shaken. James Bond's own Martini, strong and lightly bitter. Spirit and vermouth · Shaken · ~24%
Vieux Carré Rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, a spoon of Bénédictine and two bitters. Rich, spiced and very New Orleans. Spirit and vermouth · Stirred · ~24%