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Sweet vermouth

  • 07-06-2020 3:42pm
    #1
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Can anyone recommend a sweet vermouth that’s readily available in Ireland?

    I can’t seem to find one described as ‘sweet’... so should I take it that any one that isn’t described as ‘dry’ is sweet instead?!


Comments

  • #2
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    Yep you're on the right track. The one that isn't labelled dry is sweet. You're looking for 'bianco'.

    I've seen Romanetti brand in LIDL, think it was under a tenner for 1 litre.
    Tesco also have an own brand 1L Bianco for €9.

    The branded product is Martini Bianco, but think that's something like €12 for 750ml.

    Makes a nice cocktail - made like a G&T but with vodka & vermouth base.

    And I prefer a drink of 1/3 red vermouth (rosso) with 2/3 club orange or san pellegrino over ice to an Aperol Spritz.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #3
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,313 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    flogen wrote: »
    I can’t seem to find one described as ‘sweet’... so should I take it that any one that isn’t described as ‘dry’ is sweet instead?!

    Red Martini is what you're looking for ...

    While the exact recipe remains a closely guarded secret, this sweet vermouth's intensely herbal character is the result of blending carefully chosen wines

    https://www.martini.com/products/martini-rosso/

    Famous Vermouth, noted for its perfumed, rich herbal notes and sweet dark-fruited palate.

    https://www.obrienswine.ie/products/martini-rosso


  • #4
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    Can you give us some context as what recipe it's for?

    The red \ rosso is sweet too but I thought it would usuall have been listed under ingredients as red or rosso rather than sweet.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #5
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,313 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    odyssey06 wrote: »
    Yep you're on the right track. The one that isn't labelled dry is sweet. You're looking for 'bianco'.

    Depends on where it's coming from. New York Times article on cocktails says French white vermouth is dry, Italian white vermouth is sweet.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/dining/vermouth-blanc-bianco-cocktails.html


  • #6
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    coylemj wrote: »
    Depends on where it's coming from. New York Times article on cocktails says French white vermouth is dry, Italian white vermouth is sweet.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/dining/vermouth-blanc-bianco-cocktails.html

    Aha! That explains the sweetness of the Romanetti Bianco from LIDL.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



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  • #7
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Thanks all
    odyssey06 wrote: »
    Can you give us some context as what recipe it's for?

    The red \ rosso is sweet too but I thought it would usuall have been listed under ingredients as red or rosso rather than sweet.

    I was hoping to make a Manhattan - though obviously I’d hope to end up using it for other recipes once there’s a bottle to hand!


  • #8
    Adyx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,997 ✭✭✭Adyx


    For a Manhattan you'd use the red vermouth. I wouldn't recommend Martini Rosso in a Manhattan though. If you can afford a little more, it would be worth it in a spirit only cocktail. Antica Formula is superb but it is a larger bottle and can be expensive. Cocchi is good too. Vermouth can go bad once opened but the Antica lasts a bit longer in my experience.


  • #9
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Adyx wrote: »
    For a Manhattan you'd use the red vermouth. I wouldn't recommend Martini Rosso in a Manhattan though. If you can afford a little more, it would be worth it in a spirit only cocktail. Antica Formula is superb but it is a larger bottle and can be expensive. Cocchi is good too. Vermouth can go bad once opened but the Antica lasts a bit longer in my experience.

    Cheers.

    How long would a bottle tend to last? I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t get full use out of a ~€10 bottle but a ~€45 bottle is a different story!


  • #10
    Adyx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,997 ✭✭✭Adyx


    flogen wrote: »
    Cheers.

    How long would a bottle tend to last? I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t get full use out of a ~€10 bottle but a ~€45 bottle is a different story!

    Maybe a month or so if it's refrigerated. You could also try pouring any unused vermouth into a smaller bottle so there's as little air as possible. Or just make a lot of Manhattans!


  • #11
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Adyx wrote: »
    Maybe a month or so if it's refrigerated. You could also try pouring any unused vermouth into a smaller bottle so there's as little air as possible. Or just make a lot of Manhattans!

    Around 40 Manhattans in a month? That’s doable...


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  • #12
    Potato_farl
    Registered Users Posts: 22 ✭Potato_farl


    Dolin vermouth sits nicely between Martini and Carpano Antica in terms of price and quality. It's much better than the Martini and it goes for about €22 a bottle.


  • #13
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,741 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    I'd automatically assume a red vermouth of "sweet vermouth" was called for.

    I've used Tesco sweet vermouth on the past and quite liked it but I'd be no expert on vermouth.


  • #14
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    Potato_farl wrote: »
    Dolin vermouth sits nicely between Martini and Carpano Antica in terms of price and quality. It's much better than the Martini and it goes for about €22 a bottle.

    Thanks - that’s a bit more reasonable


  • #15
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    I'd automatically assume a red vermouth of "sweet vermouth" was called for.

    I've used Tesco sweet vermouth on the past and quite liked it but I'd be no expert on vermouth.

    Did you use it in the likes of a Manhattan or something else?


  • #16
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,741 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    flogen wrote: »
    Did you use it in the likes of a Manhattan or something else?

    I used it to make my own version of Pimms.

    Also used it in an old style martini.

    I'm not even sure if it's still available and , as I said, I'm no expert on Vermouth.


  • #17
    flogen
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 10,243 Mod ✭✭✭✭flogen


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    I used it to make my own version of Pimms.

    Also used it in an old style martini.

    I'm not even sure if it's still available and , as I said, I'm no expert on Vermouth.

    Thanks. Might not be any harm to have, even if it doesn’t work as well in a cocktail


  • #18
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    flogen wrote: »
    Thanks. Might not be any harm to have, even if it doesn’t work as well in a cocktail

    The own brand 1L vermouth is still available in Tesco, the sweet \ rosso & bianco & extra dry.

    LIDL only have bianco which would work in martini but not manhattan or pimms I think.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #19
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,031 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    We get through a fair amount of sweet vermouth in our house... Almost entirely in negronis as opposed to manhattans, however.

    I have a bottle of Tesco's offering at the moment, but to be honest it is not very pleasant, I would recommend the ubiquitous Martini Rosso over it.

    If you want to take a step up from that then good options a good option that hasn't been mentioned and is appearing on off licence shelves in Ireland now is Cocchi vermouth di Torino.

    I also have a couple of vermouths (one rosso, one bianco) which are from the UK boutique company Asterly Bros, but to be honest the Cocchi di Torino is far and away the best.


  • #20
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    I'm not sure if it'd count as sweet vermouth but Tesco have Martini Fiero on offer at €12 down from €16.
    "a blend of white wines and botanicals including Spanish orange peel for a delicious and balanced bittersweet orange taste."

    It's lovely mixed with San Pellegrino blood orange, as an aperitif alternative to Aperol Spritz.

    IDShot_225x225.jpg

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #21
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,031 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    Another option ... Go Spanish... Lacuesta Vermut Rojo... Not sure it's super common but a few places like Martins Off Licence in Fairview stock it.


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  • #22
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    I'm not a vermouth drinker but always keep a bottle of dry white for cooking, making a good substitute for white wine in a risotto and other dishes, doing away with the need of opening a bottle of white wine and then having to use it up as vermouth will keep for a while when opened, the trick is to use bit less than you would of wine.


  • #23
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,741 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Seamai wrote: »
    I'm not a vermouth drinker but always keep a bottle of dry white for cooking, making a good substitute for white wine in a risotto and other dishes, doing away with the need of opening a bottle of white wine and then having to use it up as vermouth will keep for a while when opened, the trick is to use bit less than you would of wine.

    You may well like dry vermouth in dishes but, please, don't suggest it to people as an alternative to white wine.
    I took this suggestion from someone here some years ago. I ended up with a ruined dish and an unwanted bottle of cheap vermouth.


  • #24
    Black Sheep
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 3,031 Mod ✭✭✭✭Black Sheep


    FIGHT!

    (Who is right, seriously... Because if it can be substituted this is a trick I would likely use...)


  • #25
    the beer revolu
    Registered Users Posts: 16,741 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Black Sheep wrote: »
    FIGHT!

    (Who is right, seriously... Because if it can be substituted this is a trick I would likely use...)

    To my pallet it can't, at all.

    I buy the cheapest Spanish white in Lidl and sometimes keep it for months, recorked, for cooking. Works great - though I'd taste it before putting in a dish if it's been there a while.


  • #26
    irish_goat
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 5,760 Mod ✭✭✭✭irish_goat


    I freeze leftover white wine myself and just bung it into the pot straight from the freezer. Would be interested to see if vermouth is a decent substitute as I don't really drink a lot of white and sometimes can't cook certain dishes when I don't have any in the freezer.


  • #27
    Seamai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭Seamai


    the beer revolu wrote: »
    You may well like dry vermouth in dishes but, please, don't suggest it to people as an alternative to white wine.
    I took this suggestion from someone here some years ago. I ended up with a ruined dish and an unwanted bottle of cheap vermouth.

    Well it would depend on the dish, it works well in a risotto but I'd only use a generous splash and burn off the alcohol before adding the stock. I don't think substituting it in a white wine sauce would work.


  • #28
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    irish_goat wrote: »
    I freeze leftover white wine myself and just bung it into the pot straight from the freezer. Would be interested to see if vermouth is a decent substitute as I don't really drink a lot of white and sometimes can't cook certain dishes when I don't have any in the freezer.

    I keep a few small bottles (187ml in Tesco, ALDI or 250ml in LIDL) that you can get for €2 - €2.50 to keep on standby for dishes.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #29
    Twee.
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,715 Mod ✭✭✭✭Twee.


    I'm partial to a red or white vermouth on the rocks, if you don't want the fuss of using it up in cocktails all the time. I have used white and dry to deglaze the pan after cooking pork chops, very delicious.

    The Cocci mentioned before is great, as is the Lustau.


  • #30
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,793 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    Supervalu have the Martini Rosso 750ml on offer for €10 at the moment, down from €12.
    https://shop.supervalu.ie/shopping/product/1022739001

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



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