The sun falls and also the temperature. And after a scoring day, the night brings relief with a warm breeze. The first stars are looked and an outdoor table invites you to close the day with good company and talk. And with what to pair this idyllic scene that so many summer noches provide? For many, more and more, The chosen answer is vermoutha drink of vintage airs that has reign strongly thanks to the birth of new exponents.
New and consecrated
In this second life of the vermouth, the proposal has sophisticated. The new brands pay special attention to the wine from which they start, as well as to the quality and nobility of the ingredients with which it is combined. They do so, for example, in The force, one of the pioneer ventures on this pathwhich launched its first versions in January 2018, at the same time that it opened a homonymous bar in Chacarita. “People are looking for products with identity and know where they come from and how they are made. A vermouth like force is a natural drink, something valued, and low in alcohol, which is also valued, ”says Martín Auzmendi, part of the founding group. Also, brand The importance of putting rich wines in frontwhich in turn approached those who enjoy this drink.
“We believe important that it is created A new vermouth ideawith respect for history but looking at the future. Tradition can be to keep the fire alive, not worship the ashes, as a famous phrase says, ”he says. In this sense, among its best selling variants, red stands out, Something natural in a culture in which the memory of the vermouth was always “Rosso”but at the same time they manage to highlight others such as the white and spring in the Andes, the second most chosen, with wild flowers and herbs and Torrontés de Mendoza wine. As jewels, they also have a sidereal, which has been guarded in oak barrels previously used for wine, and local #01, a limited edition of almost 1000 bottles based on organic white wine.
Also the most classic brands celebrate this new life. From Cinzano, the Italian classicThey say that Argentina is the main producer of Vermut in Latin America and the most relevant market for the company globally. It is that according to recent data, the brand represents 68% of the sale of this drink in the country.
In Estefanía Jacobs, the company THE APPITAL CULTUREthe valorization of the artisanal and local, the low alcoholic graduation and accessibility and personalization. “Consumers value the possibility of assembling the cocktail as one wishes. Only with ice, with more or less soda, some even mix with soda such as tonic or grapefruit. It is a product that enables everyone to prepare it as you like, ”he expands on the last point. In addition, the continuous emergence of vermuterías and new labels stands out, which shows that it is an online category with the trends of the current young consumer. “He is chosen to a greater extent by an audience between 35 and 45, but with constant growth of the segment of 25 to 35,” he describes.
For its part, Grupo Cepas, another large market, has just added a new player to this renewal: Black dog legend, a vermouth made in small gameswith numbered and inspired bottles that the tradition of Italy and the majesty of the Andes mountain range. Made in Mendoza, it Italian and botanical ruibarbo of the Andes, with sweet notes of vanilla and honey, the freshness of orange, touches mentioned of sage and wadness and a fresh must as sweetener. “It is a vermouth that celebrates our roots in Mendoza, elevates the category and responds to the growing demand for demanding consumers looking for premium products,” says Solana Baccile, category manager of snacks in the company.
Go out to try it
And just as the force has its bar, this boom also reaches the street and the gastronomic proposals.
Siphon, in Chacarita, is a great exponent of love for vermouth. In an atmosphere with retro look, between vintage furniture and walls folded with grace, a vermouth is served both in individual glass and in jug, in classic rosso variant, with sweeter and suitable identity for all audiences, or Malbec base, with herbs, with herbs traditional Argentines and a closer association to wine. “It is served with a lot of ice, 70% vermouth and 30% of a soda just out of the refrigerator, which will have a larger bubble, and a slice of some citrus,” recommends Juan Manuel Boetti Bidegain, one of the owners. And of course, the gourmet pairing is not a minor issue: “The good thing about the vermouth is that it is fresh and clean your mouth, so you can go with a heavier peck and it will get along. We have fungal croquettes with onion sauce that combine perfect, ”
Also in Chacarita, Punto Mona, the restaurant and bar of the renowned Mona Gallosi, makes the vermouth the centerpiece of a careful selection of author cocktails. Among its most outstanding creations is the water of life, which combines vodka, Eau de Vie de Pera, white vermouth of cider, grand marnier and apple and gaucho, made with Johnnie Walker Black Label, Cinzano Rosso infused with grapefruit and herbs native and a subtle touch of patagonic cedron vinegar.
Towards Ramos Mejía, meanwhile, Pompeya Pizza Napoletana is another place that celebrates the vermouth. Here the 18 flavors of pizza of dough in the baked firewood are accompanied with this appetizer, proposing herbaceous and aromatic profile options such as the techito, an infusion of tea, vermut Lombroni, rum, cinnamon syrup, tonic and two jackpotes of Angostura , or the sidereal force, ideal for drinking only with ice and orange skin.
Promising future
According to data from the International Wine and Spirit Research, in 2023 Argentina reached a production of 7.6 million liters of vermouth, which represents accumulated growth of 8% over the last five years. This positions the country as the main producer of this drink in Latin America, even surpassing Brazil. And while there are still no numbers of 2024, consumption is likely to remain on the rise. For now, summer, the strongest time for this category, still has a lot of cloth to cut and heat to deploy. Does a fresh vermouth come out tonight?
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