1757 Vermouth Di Torino

1757 Vermouth Di Torino is an Italian-style red vermouth, an aromatized, fortified wine in the Turin tradition. The label doesn't give an ABV, a botanical list or a producer note, so the flavor description below is what to expect from the style, not a measured profile of this bottle. Vermouth di Torino is usually amber to deep russet. It has a sweet entry with caramel, dried orange peel and vanilla, and a bitter-herbal back end from wormwood and other botanicals. Expect more spice and bitterness than a dry French vermouth, with a rounded sweetness that stops short of syrupy. Served alone, it works as an aperitif. Pour 2 to 3 ounces over a large ice cube in a rocks glass and add an orange wedge or a twist of peel. The bitterness stimulates the appetite before a meal, and the orange oils pick up the citrus notes in the wine. A splash of soda water or a dash of tonic stretches it into a lower-strength long drink, and a green olive or a slice of orange both suit it. Chilling matters because an opened bottle of vermouth is a wine product. Keep it in the refrigerator with the cap tightly closed, and plan to finish it within a few weeks, since it dulls and oxidizes the way any wine does. In cocktails, sweet vermouth of this type is a structural ingredient and not a minor modifier. It supplies the sweetness and herbal depth in a Manhattan, which is usually 2 parts rye or bourbon to 1 part vermouth with a dash or two of aromatic bitters. It is also the middle third of a Negroni, equal parts with gin and a bitter red aperitivo, where its sweetness balances the bitterness. Other classic uses are the Americano, with Campari and soda, the Boulevardier, which swaps bourbon for gin, and the Vieux Carré. For a lighter drink, build a vermouth spritz with sparkling water or dry sparkling wine over ice. At the table, a glass pairs well with salty and savory starters such as cured meats, aged hard cheeses, marinated olives, roasted almonds and anchovy toasts. Its sweetness and bitterness cut through the fat and salt in these foods.