9 Di Dante Dry Vermouth

9 Di Dante Dry Vermouth is a dry vermouth, a style of aromatized fortified wine. The listing gives no ABV, origin or botanical list, so what follows describes the style as a whole. Dry vermouths are built on a white wine base, fortified, and flavored with herbs, roots, bark and citrus peel. Expect a pale, clear to light straw color, a crisp and herbal nose, and a low-sugar finish with light bitterness. That is a sharp contrast to sweet (rosso) vermouth, which is richer and caramel-toned. Styles like this usually lean on floral and green-herb notes, with a lemony edge and a faint wormwood-style bitterness at the end. The main job for a bottle like this is the martini. Stirred with gin in a ratio anywhere from 2:1 to 5:1 gin to vermouth, it adds aromatic dryness and softens the spirit's edge. It also makes a Gibson, which is the same build garnished with a cocktail onion. For a more vermouth-forward drink, try a Tuxedo or a Bronx, or use it as the dry component in a Vodka Martini. Dry vermouth works well in a Perfect Manhattan too, where it replaces part of the sweet vermouth. It also works on its own. Serve it well chilled in a small wine glass or over a large ice cube with a lemon twist, and expand it with a splash of soda or tonic for a light, bitter-herbal spritz. Olives, salted almonds, anchovies and soft cheeses suit its savory dryness. It is also a common deglazing liquid for pan sauces, risotto and shellfish dishes, in place of white wine. Vermouth is wine-based and oxidizes once opened. Reseal the bottle, keep it in the refrigerator, and plan to use it within a few weeks to a couple of months for the freshest aroma.