Wine Archives - First Pour Cocktails

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Posted on August 5, 2022July 24, 2022 by Nick

There are plenty of vermouths on the market, and while Carpano Antica has captured a large amount of the market’s imagination, it also isn’t without it’s detractors. Among the complaints are that the vanilla in Carpano is overwhelming to drinks. Enter Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, which prides its self on not using vanilla in it’s formulation. Instead, they use fire browned sugar, herbs, and spices to make their sweet vermouths. So how does it work out?

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Sight: A shiny, bright mahogany with deep caramel elements around the edge.

Smell: Herbs, caramelized sugars, and bright pops of fruit lead off the nose. The fruit gradually moves from fragrant to dried, pulling in notes of caramelized dates, raisins, and figs. The dried fruits have an almost baked in brown sugar character to them. The sweetness mixed with garigue like herbs gives a slightly more savory smell than might be expected. There is also a hint of nuttiness.

Sip: The sip starts of slightly sweet, and becomes increasingly bright. There’s a middling feel to it’s weight. Notes of bright red currants and orange marmalade jump out and are coated in caramel and herbs. There’s an almost stone fruit like character to some of the fruit, and a slight dull bitterness like citrus pith toward the edge.

Savor: The citrus pith like edge and herbal notes team up on the finish to provide a lingering bitterness over a caramel like sweetness.

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is light, lively, caramelized, and packed with fruity notes. The sweetness of the style is what immediately stands out, but there’s a lot of fruit and herbal notes to back it up. The pops of acidity really give it a vibrance, and the evolution of the flavors from fresh to dried to baked gives it a layered character. The result is a vermouth that’s fun to sip on it’s own.

In Cocktails

While Carpano Antica has found love, the purportedly original style of vermouth associated with the Manhattan was vermouth di Torino. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino does nicely in a Manhattan, allowing the bourbon or rye to play the lead. This more gentle approach means something like Wild Turkey 101 is going to provide spice and oak characteristics in the forefront, while allowing the caramel and fruitiness to end as backup singers in the group. When compared to a more gentle bourbon, like Maker’s Mark, this means that Cocchi has a opportunity to provide more herbal and fruit forward notes, while providing sweetness. As a result, it makes a better vermouth for drinks like the Negroni or Income Tax Cocktail.

In Review – Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Cocchi Vermouth di Torino used to occupy the top spot on my bar for vermouths. It’s elegant enough to work in almost everything, even if it can’t always stand up to the liquor bases. What reduced my overall impression is bottle to bottle variability. In general the bottles are good, but I’ve experienced two clunkers in a batch of twelve. My father has had a similar experience. While I still keep it around, and believe it’s a great value at $20 for a $750 (what you’d pay for one 375ml of Carpano!), be aware there can be some apparent quality control issues. Despite this, we still recommend it as one of the best vermouths to use and start your home bar with, because when it’s made right it’s simply charming.

Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva

Posted on July 9, 2021July 7, 2021 by Nick

Most people have a vermouth. It’s the one they’re most familiar with. Possibly from drinking it in college, maybe at the first cocktail bar they attended, or from seeing their parents make martinis. As you get older, you see a lot of these brands in the store. The same boring selections, over and over and over. But sometimes, you might just see something unusual, something like Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva.

Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva

Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva is a Spanish vermouth. I purchased it from Wine.com for $19. It macerates for approximately 18 months with various herbs and spices.

Sight: Brown – leaning toward bittersweet chocolate, but more milk chocolate brown around the edges. No issues with transparency though.

Smell: A mélange of berries jumps out of the nose, ranging from raspberries and currants to sumac and cranberry. Notes of dark cherry, vanilla, dark chocolate, and earthy spices run through as well. Some herbal notes are present, but more subdued.

Sip: The palate leads with baked berries drenched in vanilla, clove, and other baking spices. As it opens up, it becomes vibrant, pulling out chocolate, hints of forest floor, flourless chocolate cake, turmeric, and pops of sumac. There’s a nice sweetness that runs all the way though, but isn’t cloying. The mouthfeel is kept light by the brightness, despite the sugar.

Savor: The ending is the first hint of some bitterness that gradually grows with a subtly. Before the bitterness creeps in, syrupy, jammy berries come through covered in cloves in icing sugar.

Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva is an incredible and unusual vermouth that leans heavily into the spice and fruit side of possible combinations. The result is something that’s inviting to sip on it’s own. The delightful mix of baked berries, fresh berries, spices, and sugar leads to something akin to a dessert wine. Thankfully, the slight bitterness and earthy tones help rein things back in. As a sipper, it’s a delight.

In Cocktails

Things got a little more challenging with Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva when we made a Manhattan with it. While most Manhattans have a bourbon or rye forward character with harmonies from the vermouth and bitters, a Cnia Mata Manhattan is a duo. So strong is the flavor that it imparts red fruit characteristics into bourbons that don’t typically display them (like Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, and Rittenhouse). This isn’t bad, as the spice increases, but the profile can be a little jarring switching from Carpano Antica or Martini & Rossi.

Looking in different directions, it plays better in a Martinez, complimenting the botanical notes of the gin and the spice of the maraschino liqueur. Being somewhat more powerful, it does well managing to find a home between the flavors, giving a nice amount of levity and fruitiness to the cocktail. Finally, from a base swap standpoint, it seemed to do well in a Manhattan, swapping the bourbon for Plantation Original Dark. The rum notes played well off the fruity flavor, adding to both the tropical elements and the berries.

In Review – Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva

Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva is a beautiful vermouth that’s gorgeous on it’s own, but has a tendency to forcibly exert itself in the cocktails it is invited to. As a result, you may find your favorite drink isn’t quite what you’re hoping for when you first make a drink. For that reason, we strongly suggest that you try a bottle before stocking up on a case. All that said, if you find you do like it, the $20 a bottle value proposition for 750 ml is more than adequate for the quality presented. Give it a try.

Aperitivo Cocchi Americano

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Nick

James Bond is known for a Martini, but he started out with a different drink all together. As many aficionados of the globe trotting spy will tell you, James Bond was actually originally known for the Vesper. Unlike it’s gin based cousin, the Vesper dropped vermouth and added vodka and Kina Lillet. Kina Lillet, a fortified wine with a bitter edge from the addition of Kina, later was reformulated to remove the bitter Kina element. As a result, Vespers were lack a key ingredient, until the arrival of Aperitivo Cocchi Americano.

Aperitivo Cocchi Americano

Sight: A pale yellow hue, bordering on gold, tinged with a hint of green.

Smell: There’s a burst of citrus notes that a slowly infringed upon by numerous herbal notes creeping in. A subtle but persistent sweetness, like that of fresh pressed white grapes lingers in the background, playing host to touches of wet stone and a touch of woodsy herb.

Sip: There’s an instant pop of brightness followed by a sweet white grape and viscous body. Citrus oil comes through, particularly hints of oranges, kumquats, and lemons with a hint of bitter pith. The herbal notes linger gently, make their presence known, but not felt.

Savor: On the finish, the delicate bitterness finally pulls to the forefront, leaving a slightly citrusy bitter finish that lingers pleasingly with a mild coating nature.

I would be lying if I told you that I thought Aperitivo Cocchi Americano was anything less than lovely. The delicate flavors of citrus and herb layer pleasantly over the white wine background. Nothing is imposing, least of all the bitterness. There is a wonderful balance between bitter and sweet that helps to make it so beautifully balanced. As a result, it checks a lot of the boxes to fit well in cocktails.

In Cocktails

With the end of Kina Lillet, Aperitivo Cocchi Americano is your best bet for classics like the Corpse Reviver #2 and Vesper. Thanks to a decent acidity and the bitter-sweet nature of this fortified wine, you’ll find it plays particularly well in applications where you might consider vermouth. The Vesper being a close relation to the Martini demonstrates this particularly well, allowing the citrus notes to come through while giving complimentary sweet and bitter notes to the gin. It also makes a great highball to just enjoy on it’s own.

Aperitivo Cocchi Americano in Review

Overall, Aperitivo Cocchi Americano is beautifully constructed and just the right mix of bitter and sweet to make it a lovely partner for cocktails. Bottles will expire as this is fortified wine, but at around $20 you won’t find it more preventative than vermouth. If you happen to like aromatic wines, then Cocchi Americano is worth the search.

Lustau Red Vermouth

Posted on August 20, 2020 by Nick

Lustau Red Vermouth isn’t quite the normal sweet vermouth you might be expected. Made in Spain, it starts with grapes that would be more at home with sherry. The result is a nutty, sweet vermouth that has a ton of personality, but doesn’t quite function exactly as you’d expect. In fact, the story of how I ended up with a bottle is a little bit similar. Delightful, but not quite what I was expecting.

You Can’t Always Get What You Want…

Coming back from Albany, NY, I had picked up a bottle of Cocchi di Torino Sweet Vermouth. Being delicious in Manhattans, I happened to finish the bottle, and sadly had neglected to purchase another. So one night in February on a drive home from the supermarket we stopped at a local wine shop I had enjoyed success with back when I ran First Pour Wine. What followed was an interesting insight into the occasional division between wine and liquor, and why you shouldn’t drink and run a wine shop at the same time.

I’ll admit, the fact the store was closed for a private party should have been sign enough to leave. However, the owner was gracious and invited us in – asking what we were looking for. The exchange went something like this:

Owner: What can I help you find?

Me: Well, I’m looking for a bottle of sweet vermouth.

Owner: Great, I have plenty of vermouths. This one is really great! [Proceeds to hold up a bottle of Dolin Dry Vermouth]

Me: Oh, no, not that one, I’m looking for a sweet one.

Owner: [Looking confused] Oh yeah, it’s sweet! It’s delicious.

Me: No, no. The sweet vermouth, it goes in a Manhattan.

Owner: Oh! That sounds fantastic, what else goes in it!

Me: Uh… well, there’s bourbon or rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters. You know sweet vermouth, it’s the red one.

Owner: Red! I have this one [holds up a bottle of Lustau Red Vermouth]

Now, the owner was positively delightful, and after some more explaining, told me they could order the Cocchi if I’d like. The exchange was disarming, in the way that ‘trying to explain something you thought someone might already know’ only can be. Not wanting to be impolite, but also not knowing precisely how to correct someone with a very deep seated conviction to what they assume is right, is always a challenge. Yet, we got there in the end, and this bottle of Lustau Red Vermouth came home with me. Partially because of the awkwardness, but mostly because of the sheer curiosity of trying a new vermouth.

He Was A Bold Man That First Ate An Oyster

In both wine, and cocktails, I firmly believe that you should always be open to new experiences. There is nothing wrong with favorites, of course, yet exploration can yield true expansion of the mind and palate. While you could continue to buy nothing but the same old Dolin, Carpano, and Martini, it is worth the time to take a chance from time to time and venture forth into the unknown. You might even find something delightful. In this spirit, let’s dive into Lustau Red Vermouth.

Lustau Red Vermouth

Sight: Clear – borderline hickory – cola in hue. (Contains Caramel Coloring)

Smell: The nose starts off nutty – with hits of almond and walnut. Herbal notes quickly come in giving touches of cool climate herbs, floral nuances, and a spicy sort of caramelized sugar. Elements of fruitiness – like raisins, dates, and prunes are strongly prevalent as a backbone.

Sip: The palate starts rich and sweet, and then quickly brings in a bright backbone. Flavors of toasted nuts explode forward bring with them macerated raisins, dried plums, and touches of spice. The overall mix of fruit and nuttiness is punchy – with quite a strong acid component that keeps it feeling lively. The herbal notes are somewhat subdued.

Savor: The ending lingers with a forest floor, black chocolate cake, and almond finish. Touch of herbal notes and nuts continue long after in a smooth and somewhat sweet ending.

Benefiting from Pedro Ximenez and Amontillado – the nuttiness compliments the preserved fruit well in Lustau Red Vermouth. The dried fruit flavors are powerful and direct. Thanks to the acidity it’s well balanced with it’s sweetness. The caramelized notes give it a slightly more robust and fortified flavor. It is however, quite low on some of the more herbal components in some Vermouths.

In Cocktails

In a Maker’s Mark Manhattan, the Lustau Red Vermouth adds some notes of dried fruit and touches of nuttiness. These notes that it adds are quite subdued – and play considerable second fiddle to both the bitters and the whiskey. In a Negroni – a similar experience occurred – where the vermouth was overshadowed by both the gin and the campari.

…But If You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need

While I can’t say that Lustau will find a permanent home on my shelf, I find it to be a delightful vermouth to enjoy on it’s own. Sadly, it lacks the punch to stand up to most classic cocktails, meaning it’s applications in crafting drinks will require more imagination from the drinker. That said – for delicate drinks or on ice – it’s certainly a delightful choice, and one I’m happy to have experienced.

Dolin Dry Vermouth

Posted on June 29, 2020June 28, 2020 by Nick

Dolin traces it’s history back to 1821 when vermouth was beginning to boom thanks to Carpano gaining the King of Sardinia’s seal of approval in the late 1700s. Variation began from the original recipe in short order, but stuck to the original formula of aromatic herbs and spice While Noilly Prat was first on the scene in Southern France, Dolin wasn’t far behind with their alpine botanical laced version. The brand is still around today, and Dolin Dry Vermouth is one of the standard bearers for vermouths.

Dolin Dry Vermouth

Sight: A pale greenish yellow with a pale watery edge.

Smell: The nose is clean and lightly spiced with subtle herbal, starfruit or pear, and citrus character. The spice is lightly herbal and with a hint of creamy vanilla and touches of mountain herbs, lemon pith, and air. There’s something mysterious and inviting about the nose.

Sip: The start is bright, rich, and full. It moves gradually thicker, with notes of lemon, herbs, and light spice and vanilla. The brightness carries through the lanolin texture, and gives off various notes ranging from bittering agents to citrus peel. There’s also a subtle wet stone note about it.

Savor: The ending lingers beautifully, giving a wide range of flavor, and a subtle bitterness. The herbal character is persistent.

Years ago I reviewed Dolin Dry Vermouth, and I thought it wasn’t spectacular. The thing is, when objectively looking at this through a wine lens, it’s just ok, but when looking at from a cocktail point of view, it’s dazzling. There are other cheaper vermouth, but they aren’t as clean and not as diverse in their flavor profile. Dolin has a complexity to it that’s interesting and it’s smooth body makes a great pairing for drinks.

In Cocktails

Another thing that Dolin manages to do particularly well is deliver value for the price point. You can buy a bottle of Martini & Rossi for less – but the flavor isn’t there. Vermouth is a critical component in prohibition cocktails and many modern updates, adding complexity and herbal qualities to the cocktails it’s introduced to. For many cocktails that rely on vermouth as one of a limited number of ingredients it’s important to realize that those losses in quality will not be hidden. They will be displayed center stage.

Dolin Dry Vermouth

Looking at both value and flavor – Dolin Dry Vermouth is one of our recommendations for setting up your home bar. If your go to is Martini & Rossi, give yourself an opportunity to branch out and try Dolin Dry Vermouth.

Cocktails with Dolin Dry Vermouth:

The Classic Martini

Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Nick

Vermouth has a nasty reputation. People think they hate the stuff, but really, they just never have had the opportunity to enjoy a good vermouth. For too long, vermouth was abused. Opened, forgotten, oxidized and then poured into a Martini or Manhattan in a sparse amount. Just ruins the whole drink. If only there were something better. Something that showed the elegance, beauty, and poise of well crafted vermouth. Something like Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth.

Great vermouth is smooth, complex, and aromatic. The balance of herbs, spices, and wine come together to create a concoction that’s more than any one of it’s parts. One a hot day, great vermouth on an ice cube can be refreshing in the summer heat – as the bottle suggests. Great vermouth is versatile. If you keep it fresh.

To keep your vermouth fresh – keep it sealed in the fridge. To extend the shelf life somewhat longer, consider a vacuum cork system* for storage. Sealed and in the fridge it will last up to a month.

Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth

Sight: A deep brown sugar with touches of lighter caramel and hints of honey around the edge.

Smell: The nose leads off sweet, and then moves into a complex herbal and sugared spice direction. Touches of prune, fresh picked garigue, and caramelized, roasted, fermented sugars all waft out. Vinous notes are heady, rich, and overlap through the different layers. The light oxidation helps add a subtle nuttiness.

Sip: A beautiful bright pop erupts, giving way to a beautiful mix of red plums, prunes, and currants mixed with nuts, caramel, and spices. Touches of herbs run throughout and compliment other raisins and syrupy preserved fruits.

Savor: The ending adds the mildest hint of bitterness that runs throughout. The ending brings forward cooked plums, almond, and hints of clove. The complexity continues to build throughout.

Without a doubt, Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth is the gold standard for cocktails. The subtle sweetness and complexity that spans the duration of the flavor profile compliments well to bourbon and other spirits. On it’s own – it’s a beautifully spiced fortified wine, perfectly setup for sipping. The flavors are intense, and well developed.

In Cocktails

Carpano Antica is a delightful fortified wine that plays particularly well with just about everything. The subtle spices and sweetness elevate those of the other liquors, while rounding off the edge with a delicate acidity. This really helps Carpano Antica to play a unique role in crafting drinks. Not only can it add flavor, but it can do so by stretching complimentary elements without distorting the end product. It’s for this reason I particularly like it when mixing stirred, boozy drinks. Especially with amari.

Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth Overall

Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth is a hands down recommendation for any home bar. The one caveat is a recommendation to buy the small bottle unless you find yourself going through it quickly. With Carpano Antica, I have found the fresher it is, the better. That said, any guest should be more than satisfied to utilize this vermouth for any of their drinks, and why it owns a spot on our recommended bottles list.

* – This is an affiliate link – that you should feel no obligation to buy anything through. If you do though, First Pour Cocktails may receive a commission – that helps to continue making original cocktails and reviewing bottles.

Aperitivo Cappelletti

Posted on February 3, 2020 by Nick

One of the best things about traveling is the opportunity to try new places and ingredients. On a trip to Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte, NC last year I had the opportunity to try a cocktail featuring an ingredient called Cappelletti.

My first exposure was in a drink made by Britt Clark, Few of My Favorite Things. The drink combines Vida mezcal, Green Chartreuse, Cappelletti, lemon, champagne, sugar, and served over a large cube. The drink is a beautiful orange shade thanks to the Cappelletti. The mix of orange and smokey mezcal blend with lemon and hints of sweetness. The bitter herbal character and smoke balance and are elevated with the bubbles. After I tasted it, I couldn’t help but ask, ‘So what is Cappelletti?’

About Aperitivo Cappelletti

Made in Italy (near Trento) this aromatized wine is known as ‘Il Specialino’ to locals. It’s used in a variety of applications – from making a less sweet Negroni to refreshing spitz. Thanks to the acidity, it can also seem somewhat lighter than its liqueur based cousins and wouldn’t require a liquor license (merely beer & wine). The color comes from carmine (if that sort of thing matters to you).

Haus Alpenz has put together this amazingly robust – and somewhat wanderlust overview of it.

Tasting Notes:

All of those wonderful things don’t really explain why you’d want to actually drink Cappelletti. So let me break it down. Cappelletti is a bright, punchy – slightly bitter – orange aperitif that adds a punchy citrus bitter element to a drink. It’s lighter than traditional amaros and is less overbearing.

Sight: A ruby grapefruit color tinted with hints of orange.

Smell: Bitter oranges, almost tangerine or mandarian like mix with subtle herbal qualities. The citrus like character is complex – and has a little bit of wine like character too it

Sip: The body is light and vibrant with plenty of acidity. Sweetness roll in and pulls through with tons of citrus character. The citrus character ranges between orange, ruby grapefruit, and mandarins. The sweetness is almost candy like, and keeps many of the bitter herbal notes placated.

Savor: The finish pulls through the amaro side, bringing with herbal notes. The finish lingers for a good period of time, bring in more orange peel, pith, and candied flavors to compliment the bitter herbal notes.

Cappelletti is a beautiful, complex orange aromatized wine that’s a great stepping stone for those that love Aperol. The sweetness here is slightly tuned down, but still packed with flavor thank to the wonderful brightness given by its wine base. As it is a wine-based aperitif, remember to keep it in the fridge after opening, where it will stay good for 6-8 weeks.