Unless you drink a glass of straight vermouth, there’s no easier way to celebrate National Vermouth Day than this Vermouth Spritz recipe. (The holiday is also known as World Vermouth Day.)

A vermouth spritz, you say? But isn’t vermouth used in a Martini?

The number-one use of white vermouth in the U.S. is in a Martini. For sweet (red) vermouth, it’s the Manhattan.

In world standings, the Manhattan is the 5th most popular cocktail, and the Dry Martini is the 6th most popular. Here are the Top 10 cocktails.

Vermouth is a fortified wine that is flavored and aromatized with botanicals. Red vermouth is made from red wine; white vermouth has a base of white wine.

There are a number of different vermouth styles: sweet and dry, red and white, amaro (with added bitters), chinato with added chinchona (quinine) and often gentian (a root), alla vaniglia with vanilla, and others. Vermouth houses typically make a variety of styles.

The botanicals include a mix of barks, flowers, herbs, roots, seeds, and spices that are proprietary to each producer.

The botanicals are macerated in the wine for aroma and flavor; then, the wine is often fortified with distilled alcohol).

> The history of vermouth.

> Beyond cocktails: Uses for vermouth.

> Vermouth and tapas menu.

 
 
RECIPE: VERMOUTH SPRITZ

For a dry cocktail, use white vermouth; for a sweet one, use red vermouth. If you’re an olive fan, you can use an olive garnish with the dry vermouth.

If you prefer, you can substitute a grapefruit, lemon, or lime wedge for the orange wedge.
 
Ingredients Per Drink

[1] A dry Vermouth Spritz made with white vermouth (photo © Trattoria Italienne | New York City).

[2] A sweet Vermouth Spritz made with red vermouth (photo © Gintonica | The Distillery | London).

1. FILL a highball glass or a large wine glass with ice. Add the vermouth and top up with the soda water.

2. GARNISH with an orange wedge.